Dr. William N. Craig

CRAIG Dr. William N. Craig (Bill) passed away unexpectedly Thursday, November 6, 2008 at home in Atlantic Beach, FL. He was an innovator, scholar, historian, concerned and creative educator, engaging story-teller, quick but gentle wit, a gentleman and a sailor. He was born November 21, 1933 in Washington, D.C., graduated from Edgewood H.S., and received a B.S. from Washington and Lee Univ. He spent two years in the Army as lieutenant in the Amphibious Training Command at Fort Story. In 1956, he married childhood sweetheart, Helen May Barnes. He received an M.S. in Education of the Deaf from Gallaudet College, and a Ph.D. in Audiology from the Univ. of Pittsburgh. In 1962, he moved with his family to Salem, Oregon where he directed the program for training teachers of the deaf and established a new program for training rehabilitation counselors for the deaf. Bill joined the Univ. of Pittsburgh faculty in 1965 as Director of the Graduate Program for Educators of the Deaf. While there, he designed the project which resulted in the first four Regional Vocational-Technical post-secondary programs for deaf young people in the country. In 1969, he was elected Superintendent of Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD), a post he held for 25 years. In 1985, he implemented a pioneering new Center On Deafness, providing multiple education, rehabilitation, and support services for hearing-impaired adults at regional and national levels. He also initiated a program for hearing-impaired infants and their parents. Professionally, Bill served for 24 years as Editor of the annual Programs and Services issue of the American Annals of the Deaf and as Associate Editor of the Annals literary issues. He wrote numerous professional articles and chapters and designed a frequently used Lipreading Inventory for Deaf Children. Among the national awards he received were: the Edward Allen Fay Award for outstanding literary leadership, the Howard Quigley Award for literary accomplishment and the CEASD Citation for Leadership and Services. Bill and Helen Craig retired to Sanibel Island, FL in 1994. As members of the Sanibel-Captiva Power Squadron, they edited the Soundings and wrote numerous articles for Power Squadron journals. Bill was active in the Sanibel-Captiva Lions Club, honored as a Melvin Jones fellow, volunteered at the Sanibel Library and the Congregational Church of Sanibel. In 2003, Bill and Helen moved to St. Marys, GA and became involved with the First Presbyterian Church, Kiwanis, Habitat for Humanity, and Osprey Cove Golf Club. In 2006, they celebrated 50 years of marriage surrounded by friends and family. In June 2008, they moved to Fleet Landing in Atlantic Beach, FL, meeting new friends and trying out new golf courses. Bill's interests included reading, woodworking, golfing, sailing, and writing with humor about his adventures. He will be greatly missed by his family and his friends. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. Survivors include: his wife, Helen, his daughter, Jenny Craig Pellaux, his son, Scott Craig, his grandchildren, Alex and Briana Craig, and his brother Sam B. Craig, Jr. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 9, at 2:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church in St. Marys, GA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (300 Swissvale Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218) or to the charity of your choice. Arrangements by Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 1701 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 (904) 249-2374. Please Sign the Guestbook @ Jacksonville.com