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Elwin (Beau) Forrest Crandall died peacefully on July 12, 2025 surrounded by family. Elwin was born January 18, 1937, in Pipestone, Minn. Son to Elwin and Gwyneth Crandall, he grew up with his three sisters, Mary Jo, Lee, and Cindy. From the time he was 12 years old he delivered newspapers, paying for his own haircuts out of his earnings. He enjoyed working at Hayward Drury’s printing shop in Pipestone before moving to Minneapolis to study mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota. It was there that he met his wife of 63 years, Ruth.
Ruth Harriet Crandall died peacefully on July 22, 2025, surrounded by family. Ruth was born January 23, 1941 in Osceola, Wis. Daughter to George and Kay Schlagenhauf, she grew up in several cities across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas. Her older brother, George Jr., preceded her in death (2013), as did her close cousin Mary Hallquist (2024). She often reminisced about River Falls, St. Croix Falls, and Luck, where she would walk with her friends and cousins to the city swimming pool, and down to the river to explore. After graduating from Edina High School, she attended the University of Minnesota where she earned a master’s degree in library science.
Beau and Ruth are survived by three children: Karen, Jean (Tyson), and Edward (Shana) and six grandchildren: Georgia, Daphne, Teddy, Penny, Theodore, and Kara. Beau and Ruth made frequent visits to Silver Lake, Wis. where Ruth’s parents lived, enjoying swimming, sledding and meals on the porch with their young children. They later moved to their own lakeside home in Forest Lake, Minn. where all three children graduated from high school. Ruth worked as head librarian at Forest Lake Public Library for many years, and Beau worked at Unisys from the time he graduated from college until he retired in 1998.
After retirement they moved to Battle Lake, Minn. Ruth, quiet but sociable, enjoyed book club, the Ottertail County Women’s Club, and playing bridge with friends. Beau was a gentle soul with subtle wit. He enjoyed wood working in his meticulously organized shop, biking on country roads, and sitting on a lawn chair in the lake with his feet cooling in the water. Both were avid readers. Ruth gravitated towards thoughtfully written fiction while Beau enjoyed mystery and spy novels. They enjoyed their weekly trips to Fergus Falls for library visits and a blended mocha or ice cream cone.
Beau and Ruth loved the comfort of home, family, and their quiet lives in northwestern Minnesota. They loved the rolling scenery of Ottertail County, with its familiar lakes, small towns, and friends. Mostly, they loved sitting on the porch with an old fashioned or whiskey and water, and their kids nearby.
They are both loved dearly and greatly missed. We are truly grateful for the compassionate and respectful care Ruth received with Beyond Hospice in Oakdale and Brighton Hospice. Memorials to Beyond Hospice or the Fergus Falls Public Library are preferred.
(Honsa Family
Funeral Home)