Craig Richard Lindon

Craig Richard Lindon passed away peacefully at his home in Wasilla, Alaska on August 30, 2024.

Craig was born on Vashon Island, Washington on April 6, 1947, to Winifred and Lennea Lindon. The family moved to Alaska in 1951 where Winifred worked as a Journeyman lineman in construction and at utilities for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, after having worked for many years in the Pacific Northwest.

Craig grew up in Alaska and attended East High School and was a state champion wrestler. He started working in his early teens in the commercial fishing industry and then held many other jobs while still in high school.

Following high school, he joined the Navy and served his country in Vietnam from 1966 – 1969 with one of his lifelong friends, Mike Easley. Like many Vietnam Veterans, Craig did not talk about the many horrors he saw and dealt with in Vietnam and afterwards, but as a known prankster, one story he did share was that after getting in some trouble while serving he was disciplined and given latrine duty where diesel fuel was used to burn off waste in cut off steel drums. Instead of burning off a few canisters at a time, Craig, being the go-getter he was, decided to ignite hundreds of latrine drums on fire at once creating a dark plume of smoke which shut down the Da Nang Air Base and enraged military command. He always smiled and got a good laugh telling that story.

Upon returning from Vietnam, Craig bought a Triumph Motorcycle in California and had a whirlwind adventure traveling through all fifty states with Bill Kyle a friend he had met and served with in the Navy.

Once he returned to Alaska, he met and fell in love with Elizabeth Gess and they were married in 1973 in Anchorage, Alaska where they started a family and raised their two daughters.

Craig was accepted into the Alaska Electrical Apprenticeship in 1970 and went on to become a Journeyman Lineman. He went to work for Chugach Electric in Anchorage in Alaska and served as a trustee on the Alaska Joint Electrical Apprenticeship Training Trust helping thousands of apprentices enter the electrical trades throughout the time he served. He also served on Chugach Electric’s Joint Labor and Management Safety Committee.

Craig was an avid outdoorsman who spent much of his time fishing and hunting with family and friends. He attained his pilot’s license at a young age and had multiple airplanes in his life from a Piper PA-12, Cessna 180, Cessna 185, and the last a Cessna L-19 Birddog. Craig loved to fly and used his planes to commute back and forth to Anchorage for work and for recreational use fishing, hunting, and sightseeing.

When he wasn’t in the outdoors, Craig’s time was spent with his wife and family, and they were able to go on many adventures and trips together over the years that they will all cherish forever. Christmas mornings were especially memorable as the family was always able to be together no matter the location, and for the gift wrapped nerf guns and wars that erupted at some point during the morning while opening presents.

Craig is survived by Elizabeth his wife of 51 years, sister Sharon Rooth, daughters Tricia Reaves and Lennea Lindon, son-in-law Dave Reaves, grandson Kaleb Reaves, Maddy Zmuda, and great grandson Porter Reaves, grandson Luke Reaves, and grandson Brady Reaves.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made to the Alaska Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Trust to help the next generation of electrical workers with any needed tools or expenses.