In 1959, with fellow SRI engineers David Bennion, Charles Rosen, and Howard Zeidler, Crane co-founded Ridge Vineyards.
One of its red wines placed fifth in the Judgment of Paris wine tasting.

Crane's last intellectual effort was promoting the use of a cubic mile of oil as an energy measure, and development of a manuscript on issues related to energy development, in collaboration with SRI-International colleagues: Ed Kinderman, and Ripudaman Malhotra.

Crane died from complications of Alzheimer's disease on June 17, 2008 at his home in Portola Valley, California.
In 1959, with fellow SRI engineers David Bennion, Charles Rosen, and Howard Zeidler, Crane co-founded Ridge Vineyards. One of its red wines placed fifth in the Judgment of Paris wine tasting.
Crane's last intellectual effort was promoting the use of a cubic mile of oil as an energy measure, and development of a manuscript on issues related to energy development, in collaboration with SRI-International colleagues: Ed Kinderman, and Ripudaman Malhotra. 
Crane died from complications of Alzheimer's disease on June 17, 2008 at his home in Portola Valley, California.
Hewitt Crane