Francis Joseph McCranels, 88, of Upper Jay and formerly of Silver Bay, passed away on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at the Adirondack Medical Center of Saranac Lake, NY.
Born in Corning, NY, July 14, 1934, he was the son of the late Kenneth and Beatrice (Martin) McCranels.
Joe was a graduate of Paul Smith’s College and was a member and Past President of their Alumni Association.
He was a Veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during the Korean War.
Joe was employed as Associate Director of the Y.M.C.A. Association in various locations including Holiday Hills in Pawling, NY, Greenkill Retreat Center in Huguenot, NY, and most recently the Silver Bay Conference and Retreat Center in Silver Bay, NY.
He loved the outdoors and hiked, camped, and canoed much of the Adirondacks. He enjoyed fly fishing and he also loved to travel.
He was Past President of the Pawling Rotary Club and the Kiwanis Club of Ticonderoga, and a member of the American Legion.
He was pre-deceased by his first wife, Cynthia B. (Bovard) McCranels in 2009, and also by his second wife, Sylvia Norton in 2022. He was also pre-deceased by his parents; his step-daughter, Lee Ann Kegel; his sister-in-law, Margart Paolucci; and brother-in-law, Peter Bovard.
Survivors include his son, Steven McCranels and his wife, Amy Ullrich of Bolton Landing, NY; his grandson, Gavan Kelly and his wife Olivia of Alton, IL; his great-granddaughter, Aurora Kelly; three step-children: Roger Norton, Doug Norton, and Tim Norton and their families; his brother, Jack McCranels and his wife Betsy of Lyons, NY; his sister-in-law, Ellen Metcalf of Upper Jay, NY; two nephews: Mike McCranels of Geneva, NY and Jay Paolucci of CO; and two nieces: Laurie Willard of Fairport, NY and Lisa Forkey of Saranac, NY.
A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date at a time to be announced.
