Carey Michael Craddock

Carey was born on July 5, 1972, in Houston, Texas, and passed away on February 24, 2026. During his life, he built lasting friendships, pursued his passions with enthusiasm, and left a lasting impression on the many people who knew him.

Carey graduated from Sharpstown High School in 1990 and later attended Stephen F. Austin State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 1995.

Carey was a man who loved numbers, and somehow loved people even more.

An accomplished accountant, Carey had a rare gift for making sense of the world through columns, calculations, and careful precision. He found satisfaction in balancing the books, solving complex problems, and bringing order to what others might find overwhelming. Numbers were not just his profession. They were part of how he thought, how he worked, and how he quietly took care of those around him.

But Carey's life was never confined to spreadsheets.

From a young age, sports were stitched into his story. He played little league baseball and junior football as a child and continued both all the way through high school. He carried that competitive spirit and love of the game into adulthood, becoming a lifelong and devoted fan of the Texas Longhorns. Saturdays in the fall were sacred. Carey attended countless Longhorn football games over the years, proudly wearing burnt orange and cheering with the same energy he had as a boy on the field.

Carey loved animals, children, motorcycles, good barbecue, and fine clothes in equal measure, which somehow made perfect sense if you knew him. He appreciated the patience and craft behind smoking meat, the kind of slow, steady process that rewards attention to detail. In many ways, it mirrored how he approached life. He had an eye for style and believed that looking sharp was simply part of showing up well in the world. His clothes were always just right, and his hair had to be perfect before he walked out the door.

One story captures his sense of style perfectly. As a teenager, his mother once gave him $100 and a trip to the mall to buy new school clothes. Carey returned with one single $100 Polo shirt. That was Carey. Quality over quantity. One perfect choice over several ordinary ones. And he wore it proudly.

Carey had friends everywhere he went, almost too many to count. His friendships spanned decades and seasons of life, built on loyalty, humor, and a presence that made people feel included. He showed up for games, for gatherings, and for everyday moments. His circle was wide because his heart was generous.

Carey leaves behind his beloved daughter, Hope; his former wife, Nicole; his mother, Michaelene; his younger brother, Dave; and his sister-in-law, Jen. He also leaves behind countless friends whose lives were better because he was in them. He was preceded in death by his father, George.

He will be remembered for his sharp mind, his loyal spirit, his unmistakable style, and the way he could light up a stadium on a fall Saturday just by being there.

More than anything, he will be remembered for being Carey - father, son, brother, friend, fan, and original in every sense of the word.

His memory will live on in the stories shared by family and friends, in the roar of a Longhorn crowd on a fall Saturday, and in the many lives he touched along the way. In true Texas fashion, his spirit will always echo somewhere between a fall football game, a good barbecue, and the company of loyal friends.