P. Craig Smith

1931 - 2013

Age 82 of Chicago, IL, died on October 12, 2013, He was born May 23, 1931 in Henderson, NC, to the late Pinkney Andrew and Bertie Craig Smith, and spent his childhood in Richmond, VA. Craig received his BA from Univ. of VA and his M.A. in Russian History from Columbia University in New York. He served as a Russian Language Specialist in the Army from 1954-1958 and then attended the Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his Ph.D. in Russian History. Craig taught Russian and European history at the Univ. of Illinois at Navy Pier from 1963-1967, and then at Northeastern Illinois University from 1968-1999, retiring after 32 years of dedicated service. Craig loved opera and classical music and was a voracious reader of history, biographies and newspapers. He will be remembered for his good humor and the affection he showed his family and all animals. Craig's surviving family includes his loving wife of 25 years, Barbara (Moravek) Smith, his children, Ginger (Timothy) Seery of Madison, WI, Sarah (Tom) Maxwell of Indianapolis, IN, and Andrew of Santa Monica, CA, and grandchildren Katherine and Patrick Maxwell and Sam and Alexandra Seery. In accordance with his wishes, Craig donated his remains to the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois. Memorial donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders, USA. A Memorial service will be held on November 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Evanston.