Samuel Daley Craig Jr.

1930 - 2022

Samuel Daley Craig Jr. was born on January 23, 1930, in Petersburg, Virginia, to Samuel Daley Craig Sr. and Betty Lewis Green Craig. His siblings were Catharine Craig Tureman Birchard, Mary Gray Craig Thomas, and George Lewis Craig, all deceased. Daley died at home September 21, 2022

Daley was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesboro, Virginia, wearing a christening gown hand sewn and tatted for his generation and for those to follow by his multi-talented aunt, Mary Green Moore, of Chase City, Virginia.

He was graduated by Waynesboro High School, attended Hampden-Sydney College, and was graduated by Virginia Polytechnic Institute (then known as VPI, now Virginia Tech) in 1952 with a degree in Architectural Engineering. For three years he was in The Civil Engineering Corps of the US Navy and was stationed at Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Daley married Dorothy Allene Davis on August 23,1952, in the Main Street Methodist Church in Waynesboro, Virginia. They honeymooned at Big Meadows on the Blue Ridge Parkway. They celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary in 2021. Dorothy died March 4, 2022.

Dorothy and Daley were most proud of the character and accomplishments of their three children, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Their children are Elizabeth Lucile Craig Riddick Kent, and husband, Alden, of Charlottesville, Samuel Daley Craig, III, and wife, Cindy, of Ivy, and Hunter Earle Craig, and wife, Stuart, of Florida.

Dorothy, known as Muzz to all of her grandchildren and their friends worldwide, and Daley, known as Dada, thoroughly enjoyed their grandchildren, Lauren Myers Riddick, Catharine Gray Riddick, William Daley Craig, and wife, Kristin Riggs Craig, Samuel Brice Craig, and wife, Taylor Shoemaker Craig, Carter Cele Craig Valentine, and husband, William Izard Valentine, Hunter Wilson Craig, and wife, Julia Johnson Craig, and Mary McNeely Craig.

Dear great-grandchildren are Chloe Grace Craig, Elizabeth Foster Craig, Dabney Marie Craig, Samuel Daley Craig, IV, Hunter Thompson Valentine, and Darby Parker Valentine.

Additionally, Daley's living nieces and nephews include Ann Tureman Richards, Ann Daley Thomas Tate, and husband, Russ, Betsy Thomas Critzer, John Griffith Thomas, and Robert Craig, and wife, Andrea Craig. Local great nieces and families include Liz Critzer Berry, and husband Andy Berry and daughter, Sterling Grace Berry, Leigh Critzer Thraves, and husband, Trevor, and their son, Samuel Sterling Thraves, and her chosen son, Trip Thraves, Carson Craig, and Candace Craig.

Daley was Past President of the Blue Ridge Homebuilders' Association and the Homebuilders' Association of Virginia.

Housing design, construction, and neighborhood development were Daley's life long passions. He began his construction business in Mattoon, Illinois, moving it to Charlottesville in 1959. He overcame multiple recessions and oversaw the building of many homes and neighborhoods in the Albemarle County area, helping to create increased wealth for homeowners and communities. His residential projects include custom houses and subdivisions in Key West, Ednam Forest, Hession Hills, Georgetown Green, Four Seasons, Earlysville Forest, Ivy Oaks, Mill Creek, Highlands, Western Ridge, Walnut Hill, and Fox Chase.

Serial interests of intense endeavor included hunting, fishing, tennis, sailing, competitive croquet (nationally ranked player), motorcycling, piloting planes, and Craig family geneology traced back through the centuries to Lowland Scotland. Life-long interests included reading about and discussing history, economics, government and politics.

A private family celebration will be held at his home, Tanglewood Farm in Crozet.

A private burial service will take place in the multigenerational Craig section in the Craigsville Cemetery in Craigsville, Virginia.