Edwin Craig

1939 - 2020

Edwin Craig, known to all as Ed, passed away on Jan. 29, 2020, at the age of 80.

Ed was born in Richmond, Indiana, on June 18, 1939, to parents Edwin Charles Craig and Frieda Pauline Craig (Close). He grew up with two younger brothers, Ronald Eugene and Gary Dean. He spent his childhood in Cambridge, Indiana. At the age of 16, his father bought a farm in Henry County where the father and 3 boys built their family home from the ground up. Ed worked many summer jobs including sweeping out the Cambridge City Casket Company, repair crew for the Gulf Oil pipeline and working on neighboring farms. In fact, he bought his first bicycle with the money he earned working at the casket company.

At age 18, Ed attended Tri State College in Angola, Indiana, where he received a degree in Electrical Engineering in three years, followed by a masters in Physics at Ball State. Ed's first job out of school was for General Motors in the Delco Electronics department. He started as a junior engineer and eventually rose to become a Senior Executive. He was with Delco for 37 years.

Ed's father was a physics professor so engineering was in his blood. He was very involved in farming and tinkering with all the mechanicals and farming equipment. He designed and built many family projects.

Later in life Ed decided he would get a pilot's license for relaxation purposes. He later decided flying a plane was too stressful and switched to radio controlled planes.

Ed retired from Delco Electronics in 1997 and formed Experienced Leaders of Change (ELC) consulting company with partner Ron Gill, which provided management leadership evaluation, planning and execution to Universities and Corporations (Rolls Royce, Stanford, Purdue).

He also volunteered at Conner Prairie Living History Museum, Fishers, Indiana (mostly driving a John Deere tractor – of course!).

Ed loved the beach, flying kites, margaritas, playing euchre, farming and traveling but his real passion and joy was spending time with family and friends. He was a kind and generous soul who never hesitated to help anyone in need, and loved his grand dogs Livy, Luna, Sophie, and Bella.

Ed is survived by wife Ruth Ann Craig; two children from his first marriage, Kim Fortune (Duane) and Kevin Craig (Vickie), and two step children from his deceased second wife Judy, Mike Crew (Susan) and John Crew. Ed is survived by his two brothers, Ron and Gary Craig.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at 1 p.m. at the Waugh-Halley Wood Funeral Home in Gallipolis, Ohio, followed by a reception from 2 to 6p.m. at the Quality Inn Meeting Room in Gallipolis, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers please donate to The James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University 460 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, who provided such caring support to Ed and his family, or a favorite charity in honor of Ed.