RAY ALFRED CRAIG

Palmer resident Ray Alfred Craig died at Valley Hospital in Palmer on Aug. 3, 2001.

A public visitation will be held at 2:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 13, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Palmer. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 3:30 p.m., with Father Luke Steiner as celebrant. Interment will be at Wasilla Aurora Cemetery following Mass.

Pallbearers will be Steven Craig, Kip Craig, Art Godin, Cari Craig, Leland Fishback, and James Olsen. Chris Olsen and Ian Secoff will serve as honorary pallbearers.

A celebration of life reception at will be held at St. Michael's Church at 6 p.m.

Mr. Craig was born June 20, 1945, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended high school at Miami Edison Senior High School and then attended one year of college.

He moved to Alaska in 1975 and resided in the Hatcher Pass and Palmer area since that time.

Mr. Craig had been employed at the Mat-Su Borough Pool in Wasilla as the pool manager for 19 years, during which time he taught hundreds of children to swim. He also taught CPR and first aid classes and volunteered many hours with the Red Cross. He retired in July 2000 in order to spend more time with his family.

Mr. Craig was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Palmer.

He enjoyed working with Special Olympic athletes, teaching swimming, bowling, skiing and golf. He loved teaching children with disabilities.

His family stated: " He loved his children more that anything else in his life. He loved giving his time to the community. Everyone remembers his smiling face. He loved being retired. He was loved, and will be greatly missed."

Mr. Craig was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth Craig; father, John Craig Sr.; brother, John Craig Jr.; and niece, Diana Craig.

He is survived by his wife, Carol Linda Craig; daughters, Cari and Heather; son, Kip; father-in-law and mother-in-law, James and Janie Olson; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Chris and Jane Olsen; sister-in-law, Jan Craig; nieces and nephews, Steve Craig and his wife, Mary, Britany and Eric Jones, and James and Emily Olsen.

Memorial donations may be made to the Children of Ray Craig Memorial Fund — Wells Fargo Bank of Alaska, account # 1961969613 and/or Mat-Su Special Olympics, P.O. Box 874234, Wasilla, AK 99687.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home of Wasilla.