Herman Marshall Craig Sr.

Herman Marshall Craig Sr., 88, went to be with the Lord on February 20, 2010, at Roanoke Carilion Memorial Hospital. For the past 44 years, he resided in the Snow Creek community of Franklin County in the 225 year old ancestral home in which he was born December 6, 1921, to the late Benjamin Giles Craig and Lucy Wingfield Craig. He was a member of the United Methodist Church. He graduated with honors from Martinsville High School in 1939, Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y. in 1943, where he was a member of the Alpha Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, and did graduate studies at Columbia University in New York City, Northwestern University, in Chicago, Ill., and Duke Divinity School, in Durham, N.C. Herman also was a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College in St. Louis, Miss.
During World War II, he served in the 179th Infantry Regiment with the 45th Division in Africa, Italy, Germany and France. He also was company commander of Army Reserve units in Norfolk, Va., Hagerstown, Md., Belvedere, Ill. and Greensboro, N.C. During his military career, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-AfricanMiddle Eastern Medal, Campaign Medal With six Stars, WW II Victory Medal with Arrowhead, National Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Honorable Service Lapel Button WW II, Marksman Badge With Rifle Bar, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal and six Battle Stars. Herman retired from the military with 28 years of service.
He was a past president and member of the Figsboro Ruritan's Club, served three terms as a member of the Franklin County School Board, represented Franklin County for five years as a member of the Roanoke Valley Regional School Board, which operates a program for students with disabilities, and was a member of the Virginia School Board Association. He also was a past member of the Toastmasters Club and the Martinsville/Henry County Homebuilders Association.
During his professional career, Herman worked in sales for IBM Corp., Standard Register Co., was Regional Manager for Baltimore Business Forms, Branch Manager for American Bank & Trust Company and retired from Metropolitan Insurance Company where he was the recipient of many awards for outstanding sales.
Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, were one brother, Burton Giles Craig; and two sisters, Lucille Craig and Catherine Craig Warrington. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nanci Lee Craig; two daughters and sons-in-law, Kathryn Craig Macco and W. Frank Macco, of Clarkston, Mich., Karyn Craig Meeks and E. Wayne Meeks Jr., of Collinsville, Va.; one son and daughter-in-law, Herman Marshall Craig Jr. and Judy M. Craig, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; two grandsons, Christopher Wayne Meeks and Bradley Craig Meeks, both of Collinsville. He is also survived by one sister and brother-in-law, Naomi and Channing Walker, of Virginia Beach, Va.; and one brother and sister-in-law, Philip Wayne and Barbara Craig, of Bath, N.C.; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends at Norris Funeral Home in Martinsville, Va. on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and at other times at the family home. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, February 24, 2010, at 1 p.m. in the Norris Funeral Home Chapel. A full Military Service will take place at the Wingfield Family Cemetery on Bonfield Drive off Snow Creek Road immediately following the ceremony.
The family requests that contributions be made to their favorite charities, in lieu of flowers.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.NorrisFuneral.com.
Norris Funeral Services is in charge of all arrangements.