Craig Holycross Canaday was born on August 22, 1948 to Myra and Burton Canaday in Columbus, Ohio, and spent his childhood in Indiana. He attended Miami University and received a Ph.D. from Ohio State University in Plant Pathology. He passed away on Monday, May 25, 2015 due to complications from heat stroke.
Craig Canaday had two passions in life, his family and his work. He was the loving husband to his wife Teri Canaday, and the time-giving father to two girls, Tiffany and Rachael, whom he and Teri raised. When his daughters were young, he was amazingly supportive in helping them follow their love of performing arts. He spent many hours constructing sets for school plays, being a volunteer parent for Ballet Arts, and supporting his teenage daughters’ filming projects. He was an advocate for education in the community participating on a science education advisory board, teaching community college classes, supporting the formation of both public and private Montessori schools, and simply sharing his love of science and nature with friends and family.
He worked for almost 30 years as a plant pathologist and research professor at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center where he researched new and better ways to help farmers protect soybeans and vegetable crops from disease. Driven by his love of science and desire to create positive progress in the world, he persevered in this work despite increasing complications he had from multiple sclerosis.
His wife, daughters, son-in-law, Robert, grandson, David, and siblings Barry, Riff, and Star along with many friends and family are saddened by the sudden passing of such a thoughtful, compassionate man.
A memorial celebration for Craig will be held at 4:00 pm on Sunday, May 31, 2015 at Say Grace, 2644 N Highland Ave, Jackson, TN 38305. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the Montessori Center of Jackson, P.O. Box 10516, Jackson, TN 38308.
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