Craig Kemp Sussman

Craig K. Sussman (public persona: CK Sussman)
"THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE," "MAKE SOMEONE LAUGH" AND "NEVER GIVE UP" were words of strength Craig offered all before ALS took his last breath on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Laughter from others when he told his jokes fueled Craig's drive to persevere, as he always wanted those around him to be happy. With his highly intuitive nature, Craig was always looking for the perfect timing and delivery of the next funny line or quirky, silly sayings to make people laugh, even continuing this ritual up until his last day of life. Courageous, brave and stubborn in fighting this insidious disease known as ALS, Craig found peace in the end, knowing he had done all he could to put matters to rest before God called him home.
Born of Christian and Jewish descent, Craig Kemp Sussman came into this world on July 25, 1957, in Pasadena, California, and grew up in nearby Glendora, attending the Harding Military Academy for Boys and then Glendora High School, where he started his musical education, playing the trumpet at Harding, and the bass drum at Glendora, where he also marched in the Rose Parade. Craig was the only son of Ruth Kemp Sussman and Murray M. Sussman, and had an extended family of five half-siblings, including two brothers and three sisters: Francine (Ro) Sussman, Irv Sussman, Audrey Sussman, Cheryl Calac, and Rob Sussman.
While Craig never fathered any children of his own, he helped raise eight children. Craig's four-pawed best friends were his dogs who preceded him in Heaven: Shasta and Lucy. His most recent feathered friend, his pet raven, Reynolds, stayed with Craig until a week before he passed when he was relocated to his last week of life before heading to his new forever home.
Strong-willed and self-trained, Craig was a highly gifted artisan in everything he set out to do. A consummate perfectionist, Craig's career spanned a variety of unique and successful career ventures. From delivering customized RVs to movie sets in the 1970s to traveling the U.S. for computer robot demonstrations, to being a successful owner/truck driver, to managing the number-one-in-sales Levitz furniture store, to ultimately designing one-of-a-kind, beautiful built-in cabinetry, home offices, and bars for his own company, C&L Design Specialists. No matter what Craig set out to do, he created and demanded of himself the highest standards when defining his own success! His countless hours and endless drive to complete projects were no more evident that in his last career venture in the entertainment world with business partner, Lois Hoyt, as Sussman-Hoyt Productions and Wildomar Movie Ranch, eventually evolving into Craig's own solo company as writer/director/producer/editor for Ravens Entertainment.
Craig's talents far exceeded the IMDb credits to his name for The Girl in the Backseat and You may call me Reynolds. While both films contain original CK Sussman musical themes, Craig never worked harder on completing any project than when he wrote, directed, edited, and promoted his last project: a cinematic short film called, You may call me Reynolds, a critically-acclaimed, dark fantasy tale of Edgar Allan Poe's last night of life that is currently making its rounds on the film festival circuit.
With all his successes, nothing gave Craig more fulfillment and joy than playing his piano keyboard for hours on end as both an outlet for channeling his creativity and for developing advanced musical skills as an artist, resulting in enchanting scores and dramatic melodies (what we call Craigtivity). In these moments, Craig learned to craft his elaborate and emotionally-charged original musical compositions as well as his complex orchestral arrangements of others' published works. Never tiring of the monotony of finishing a recording, Craig took his time perfecting each note and phrase with precision - the melodies, harmonies, countermelodies, instrumentation, and - until in Craig's words, "I can do nothing more to make this better." To this day, Craig's YouTube channel under the public name CK Sussman, continues to have a massive following of subscribers. Craig's legacy in music and film will live on through his foundation, Stealing A Dream, to allow future generations to experience his works.
Craig's funeral will be held on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 10:30 am, at the Murrieta Valley Funeral Home (951-696-0626), 24651 Washington Avenue, Murrieta, California, 92562, with a light lunch reception immediately following. A simple graveside service will be held that same afternoon at 1:45 pm sharp at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, CA 92518. Those attending the graveside service must arrive no later than 1:30 pm to ensure adequate time to park and walk to specific site.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to the Stealing A Dream Foundation that was co-founded by Craig K. Sussman and that supports ALS research, provides assistance to afflicted ALS patients, as well as offers scholarships to aspiring musicians and filmmakers. A portion of proceeds is also allocated toward the care of shelter animals, a mission that was close to Craig's heart. Stealing a Dream Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and tax deductible donations may be made through Go Fund Me under the name CK Sussman. We are humbly grateful for your support!