Leonard Craig

Our beloved father Leonard Craig, Pops, transitioned into his heavenly existence on December, 11, 2022. Pops is reunited with God, family and friends. Right now, he is definitely somewhere loving, smiling, laughing, and maybe telling inappropriate jokes.

Pops was born March 2, 1935 to Johnny and Lupehlia (Love) Craig in Merced, California. He was the oldest of four children who have predeceased him: Kenneth Craig, Curtis Craig, and Eleanor Wiley. Destined for a meaningful life, Pops was a child born of two families who left Oklahoma during the Great Depression seeking opportunity and prosperity out West. Upon arriving in Merced via Texas and Imperial Valley, the Craig and Love families would raise their children to honor God, care for family, and work hard.

Luphelia and Johnny Craig nurtured well rounded children who were proficient in skills they needed to compete and excel in life; Pops and his siblings developed academic, social, athletic, and musical talents while living their entire lives in Merced. He attended Galen Clark Elementary School (he participated in Boy Scouts of America at this time), and Merced High School (Class of 1953). While at Merced High, he received Yosemite League honors as an Outstanding Defensive Player. It was also during this time in his life when he and his siblings enjoyed music lessons. Pops became an excellent piano player and composer of music. In addition to his musical talents, he developed fluency in Spanish with the help of his relatives. Most notably, Pops learned early on that hard work was his super power. Throughout his young life, he chopped cotton, loaded hay bales onto the backs of transport trailers in the scorching summer heat, washed cars, helped his father raise pigs and cattle, learned construction, and so much more! Pops even found time to attend Modesto Junior College and briefly play football, but he chose to leave the team to work to help his family. It is at this point in his life family friend Jack Slaton taught him to drive a semi truck, which is a job he performed throughout his life. Pops would eventually haul hay, grapes, tomatoes, scrap metal, and more.

Pops was an early member of his brother’s band The Merced Blue Notes with Roddy Jackson, and other local talents, One evening at a performance at the Tracy Ballroom in Tracy, California, he met Alice Faye Butler and the rest is, as they say, history. Alice and Leonard (Pops and Gramma) would spend nearly 60 years together building a beautiful family.

If you are old enough to remember Safeway on Main street in Merced, you probably saw Leonard in the checkstand. He was an employee of Safeway Grocery Store from the time it opened until the day it closed (prior to Safeway he worked briefly at Food Center on J’ Street). After Safeway closed,he briefly worked for Save Mart Supermarket before deciding to drive trucks full time. He drove for Knudsen Dairy, for his friend Hugo Kaji in Livingston, and Mid Valley Dairy, Sunnyside Farms in Turlock. Pops worked until he was 76 years old.

Mere words cannot adequately capture such a life well-lived. Strong, dependable, and kind, Pops epitomized joy and gratitude. He marveled at beautiful sunsets. He savored delicious meals shared with good company. He adored his family (especially his grandchildren, traveling with them, watching their football games, volleyball games, band reviews, birthday parties, dance recitals, Taekwondo-he was there) Pops openly appreciated the blessings he enjoyed in life. His spirit endures in the legacy he leaves behind: love, laughter, hard work, family, and service. His spirit lives on in the music: a jazz saxophone solo (you should have seen Pops’ face when Kenny G shook his hand during a performance many years ago), old piano standards like Pennies from Heaven, Motown classics, soulful country. We will always remember him for saying: Sing the song children when the music was right.

Leonard is survived by his wife Alice; daughter, Sheila Taddeo; Son, Leonard Craig II and daughter-in-law Jenny Shuttera-Craig; daughter, Karen and son-in law Jeff Davis; His grandchildren Leonard Sean Craig; Adrianna Davis; Hannah Davis; and Aaron Davis; sisters in law, Lila Craig, Sharon Craig, Irene Craig. He also has many dear nieces and nephews: Kent Craig, Ellen Bragg, Cheryl Lockett, Carla Craig, Jonathan Craig Willie Craig, Luis Wiley, Lori Wiley. Pops leaves numerous loving and wonderful people on the Love side of the family, as well as multiple dear friends. To know him was to love him.

Burial will be private with a Celebration of Life to be held at a later date.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stratfordevansfunerals.com for the Craig family.