K Rodney (“Rod”) Cranson was born on November 9, 1937, in Hubbardston Michigan. Rod graduated from Grand Ledge High School in 1956 and did several jobs before being accepted at Michigan State University (MSU). Rod spent three years in the US Army National Guard and married his wife Sharon in 1961. Rod earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology and a Master’s in Education from MSU along with a Doctorate degree in Geology. He began his teaching career at Waverly High School (Lansing, MI) in 1963 and joined the Science Department faculty at Lansing Community College (LCC) in 1966 where he developed the Natural Science and Geoscience programs and achieved the rank of Professor. During his tenure at LCC, Rod was instrumental in establishing the Michigan Earth Science Teachers Association (MESTA) and was co-founder of the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA). Among numerous awards and honors, Rod received LCC’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 1991. Rod served as a National Park Interpretive Ranger at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon for seven summer seasons. His work in the park provided the experience and expertise to write and publish three editions of Crater Lake - Gem of the Cascades, The Geologic Story of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. After retiring from his teaching career, Rod and Sharon established a professional photography studio in their Lansing home and Rod earned a Professional Photographer Degree from the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Rod Cranson passed away in June of 2025.