Gene Craig Sr.

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Category: Obituaries

Created on Thursday, 16 October 2014 11:34

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Gene D. Craig Sr., who had lived in Sitka more than 70 years, passed away in Edmonds, Washington, on Oct. 10, 2014.
A service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20, at Sitka’s First Presbyterian Church. A memorial will be held in Seattle, Washington, at Bleitz Funeral Home at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17.
Gene was born June 20, 1922, in Garden City, Missouri, in the midst of the Depression and Dust Bowl, to William Porter and “Nellie” Robinson Craig.
In his youth, Gene was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps. He then  moved to Sitka, where his father had become a fisherman. He met Frances Daniels, and they were married here in 1942.
He entered into the Army Air Force in 1944 and served as a seaman in the Aleutians. Prior to marrying Frances, he was adopted into the Kiks.adí clan.
He worked for many years keeping the lights on as an operator-engineer at both the Mt. Edgecumbe and Sitka power plants.
In his later years he would be seen walking in town with his little white poodle, Gizmo, who lived with him in the Sitka Pioneers Home. Gene lived at the Pioneers Home about 10 years, and had moved to Washington this last May; Gizmo is currently residing in Port Townsend with Gene Craig Jr.
Despite their many travels to far away and exotic locations, Gene and his wife Frances never considered living anywhere other than Sitka.
They were both devoted members of the First Presbyterian Church. He walked in the footsteps of Jesus and was generous with those less fortunate than himself. He found great sadness in seeing impoverished children facing hunger and little hope on his foreign travels, so he took great joy in sponsoring many children in economically challenged countries.
He would take great pleasure if others were to be inspired by his life to sponsor children less fortunate than themselves.  The last three children he sponsored were in the Philippines.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings: Margaret, Wilbert, Mary, Helen, and Ernest.  His wife, Frances Craig, of the Kaagwaantaan clan, also passed before him.
He leaves behind three children, Gene “Dan” Craig Jr. of Port Townsend, Washington; Barbara Chittenden, of Mukilteo, Washington, and William “Bill” Craig and his wife Helen of Sitka.
His grandchildren are Jon, Laura (Tim Adamson), Pam, Helen, Theo, Jennifer, and Jeremiah; and his great-grandchildren are Keet, Janwu, Antonio, Jasmine, Gabriel, and Kee.

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