Craig William James

1961 - 2021

Craig William James
On the first anniversary of Craig's death, we remember him with love and want to celebrate his life.
Craig was the third and youngest child of Beverley Frances Smith James and Preston Merrill James. He was a busy and mischievous little boy, tolerant of his sisters' teasing, secure in the knowledge that he was his mother's favorite child. He had a cyst in his humerus that caused his arm to break frequently, but this didn't slow him down; when this happened, he would don his sling and return to playing. He loved bicycling and completed an epic bike trip with his dad over Tioga pass in his early teens. He graduated from St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco, and from UC Davis. After a stint teaching middle school, he followed his passion for travel and flying, working as a flight instructor, then as a pilot for American Eagle and eventually for American Airlines.
In 2001, Jared Preston James was born to Craig and his wife, Teresa Carlos. Craig discovered his favorite role in life, as Jared's dad. Craig loved downhill skiing, especially at Lake Tahoe and in the Swiss Alps, and almost as soon as Jared could walk, he skied with his dad. They loved to build intricate and complicated Lego structures together, and to hike in Yosemite and vacation in Hawaii with family.
Craig's sisters wondered how he could become an accomplished pilot when he couldn't remember to change the oil in his car, but he steadily rose through the ranks at American Airlines and especially enjoyed flying to Hawaii. His mother loved receiving the postcards he sent her from his trips to Kauai and Maui. He often had to work on Christmas, but was usually able to spend his favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, with his family.
Craig is survived by his son Jared, his mother Beverley, his ex-wife Teresa Carlos, his sisters Laurel Michael and Michelle James, his brothers-in-law Mark Michael and David Artale, his nephew Thomas Michael, and his nieces Tessa Artale McGovern and Sara Artale.
We think about Craig daily, with love, and we miss him very much.