Obituary of Phillip W. Craig

Phillip William Craig, 65, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away September 30, 2008. Phil was born April 7, 1943 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont and was raised with his three siblings on his parents' dairy farm. He graduated from the University of Vermont, where he met his wife of 41 years, Christine. He served in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany, beginning his lifelong love of travel. After the Army, Phil worked as a Systems Analyst at IBM for a quarter century before embarking on his independent consulting career. He took great joy in raising his three children—Peter, Beth, and Martha—and was a playful and devoted grandfather to his granddaughter, Katie. In addition to serving as a court-appointed advocate for abused children, he volunteered his time and talents to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Saint Andrews Handicapped Children's Clinic in Nogales, and Northwest Mobile Meals. He was a great storyteller with a quirky sense of humor. A connoisseur of fine food and wine, he enjoyed cooking, made frequent trips to the Sonoma and Russian River Valleys, and hosted wine tastings in his home. Phil loved nature and often walked in the desert at dawn. He will be dearly missed. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will take place at the Church of the Apostles, 12111 N. La Cholla Blvd., Oro Valley, Arizona, 85737 on Saturday, October 4th at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum at 2021 N. Kinney Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85743.