Craig William Wyatt

1942 - 2017

Craig William Wyatt 1942—2017
Craig William Wyatt, 74, of Loves Park, died Friday, Aug. 25, at Swedish American Hospital from complications following a heart attack. The son of William Byers and Jane (Duff) Wyatt, he was born Dec. 10, 1942, in Tuscola, IL. He graduated from Tuscola Community High School in 1960 and from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with honors in history in 1964. Craig served as a first lieutenant in the United States Air Force at Nellis AFB, NV, and as a captain in Vietnam. Upon leaving the Air Force, he earned a Masters degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University. He was a journalist and editor with the Rockford Newspapers for 16 years. Craig then became an editor and writer in private business. Craig married Judith Pieper on June 22, 1974, in Moline, IL. They had two children: Stephen and Suzanne. In 1977 Craig received a fellowship from the Gannett Foundation to study Asian Affairs at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu. His area of concentration was China. He studied Chinese culture, religions, and history, and took the equivalent of two years of college-level Mandarin. Craig was an outstanding musician, having been blessed with perfect pitch. He sang with the Men of Accord, the Bach Chamber Choir, and Camerata Emanon. He also played the tuba with the Dixieland Docs and the Old Towne Band. For much his life, Craig was also an avid, self-taught guitar player. Craig developed Parkinson's disease, caused by exposure to Agent Orange, in the early 2000's. However, the illness did not impair him. He still managed to sing, play the tuba and guitar, and travel for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Judith; son, Stephen, Chicago; daughter, Suzanne (Nathan) Parker, Carol Stream; grandson, Maxwell Parker; and sister, Melissa Wyatt, Paso Robles, CA. He is also survived by his cousins, William Rosenthal and Polly Holly of Waupaca, WI; sisters-in-law, Mary Kay (Wes) Johnson of Moline, IL and Shannon West (John Pieper) of Naperville, IL. Additional survivors include several nieces and great-nieces and nephews. Craig was predeceased by his parents, two brothers, Robert and Bradley, and his in-laws, Henry and Ruth Pieper.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Sat., September 16, 2017, at Second Congregational/First Presbyterian Church, 318 N. Church St., Rockford, IL with Rev. Rebecca White-Newgren officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, at Olson North Chapel, 2811 N. Main Street, Rockford, IL. Memorials may be sent to the Natural Land Institute, 320 S. Third St., Rockford, IL, 61104; Camerata Emanon, Attn: Tim Anderson, Unitarian Church, 4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL, 61107; or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. 4777, New York, NY, 1016. To share a memory or send an online condolence, visit olsonfh.com.