Glena Belle Savage Crane, the third child of Mary and Bernard Savage, was born November 4, 1912. Glena Belle spent most of her childhood in Hammon, with the exception of a few years in Beaver and Forgan, Oklahoma, where her parents owned mercantile stores. After graduation from Hammon High School, Glena Belle attended her first year of college at Oklahoma City University before entering Southwestern State College.
On May 16, 1931 Glena Belle married Glen Crane of Hammon.
Upon graduation, Glen Belle continued her teaching at Leedey. In 1934 Glen and Glena Belle obtained positions in a two teacher school at Three Corner, where they taught for three years. Glena Belle continued her teaching career at Crawford and fiunished in November of 1952 at Cheyenne Public School.
Music was an integral part of Glens Belle’s life. They proved to be an asset as Glen and Glena Belled searched for a teaching job together during the Depression. They felt that they were hired at Three Corner School because they could offer music along with the three R’s. Her students were like family, especially through her later years after Gen’s death.
Glena Belle was very community minded, choosing to support the improvements of the Cheyenne Cemetery and supporting the Historic Roger Mills Preservation work in developing the seven museums in the Cheyenne City Park. She provided the first donation so that our county’s rich history could be preserved. After Glen’s death, one of the greatest experiences of her life was her involvement in finishing his book, “Cemeteries…and More.” a book chronicling the history and people of Roger Mills County.
She loved and cherished her family, and always made it a point to get to know them on a personal level. She loved to cook and prepare for family gatherings and one of her family’s favorite was biscuits and gravy for breakfast on Christmas morning.
Glen and Glena Belle had two children: Rogna and Joe Glen. Their daughter Rogna married David Kirby of Sentinel, Oklahoma. Joe Glen suffered from Muscular Dystrophy and lived only until his teen years.
Glena Belle is survived by her brother, Ted Savage and wife, Jackie, Ada, Oklahoma; her sister Marjorye Savage Heeney and husband, Barney, Topeka, Kansas; her granddaughter, Dawn and husband Will Becker and her two great-grandchildren, Anna and Luke, all of Belverde, Texas; nieces, nephews and a host of family and friends. Services were held Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at the Cheyenne United Methodist Church officiated by Rev. Greg Keith. Burial followed at Cheyenne Cemetery under the direction of Rose Chapel Funeral Home.
Cheyenne Star, Cheyenne, OK 12-Aug-2010