Deceased Name:W.T. (Bill) Craige

January 16, 1933 ~ May 20, 2009

© Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home

Submitted by: TD

 

W.T. Craige, better known as Bill or Billy Tom, was born January 16, 1933 to W.R. and Ruby Craige in Kemp, Oklahoma. He graduated from Kemp high school in 1951 and married his high school sweetheart Mary Marts in 1952. They made their home in Durant where Bill and Mary lived until his passing on May 20, 2009.

Bill was self-employed in trucking and farming until he bought the Durant Milling Company in 1980. He mostly retired in 1995, but continued driving a truck part time until about 2 years ago. Bill and Mary bought an airplane, and both became pilots in 1984. Bill enjoyed flying for many years as a means of travel for recreation. After he finally gave up flying, he and Mary continued to travel about the country in their Suburban. Bill always enjoyed having a few head of cattle around his place. After retiring he enjoyed his daily trips to the McDonald’s coffee club where he and his group of coffee buddies told tall tales and solved most of the world’s problems. Bill was an active member of the Church of Christ his whole life serving as a Deacon then as an Elder for many years.

Bill is survived by Mary, his wife and soul mate of 57 years; their two children Mark Craige and wife Brenda of Tulsa; Teri Cook and husband Charles of Davis, OK; grandchildren Russell and wife Ame Cook, Kaycie & Taylor Cook, Aaron & Colby Craige; great-grandson Banyan Cook; siblings Jean Campbell and Dan Craige; several nieces and nephews, 2 aunts and a host of cousins.

Family hour is Thursday, 6:00 – 8:00 and being conducted by Coffey-Murray Funeral Home.

Services are Friday, May 22, 2009 at 2:00 in the University Church of Christ in Durant, OK. Internment to follow at the Kemp Cemetery in Kemp, Oklahoma