Celebration of Life Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Ankeny Funeral Home, 1510 West First Street, Ankney, Iowa 50023. There will be a Private Family Graveside Service held at Pine Hill Cemetery at a later date.
John Craig was born on January 11, 1953, in Des Moines, Iowa. He was loved and raised by Bud and Barbara Tillman. He attended Tech High School in Des Moines. He worked for Patzig Labs and A & B Electric. John began his trucking career as a lease trucker and later he was an owner and operator of his own Semi where he worked for Hallway Trucking. John and Jodie were married October 28th, 1978.
John enjoyed gun-smithing, building motorcycles and riding them, working on cars, fishing, building computers, playing his electric guitars and listening to his favorite music artists, and watching NASCAR. John loved NHRA drag racing, attending his first race at Wildhorse racetrack in Chandler, Arizona to watch his favorite funny car driver John Force. John loved all animals, and could never turn away a stray dog. John was a natural storyteller; he would entertain friends and family with tales of his younger days and other special moments. Most of all, he dearly enjoyed spending time with his family. He was a long-time member of the Issac Walton League in the Des Moines area, and a member of the NRA.
John is preceded in death by his parents, Bud Tillman and Barbara York. John is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Jodie; three daughters, Jennifer Craig, Jessica (Rob) Hubby and Jillian Craig; five grandchildren, Brianna, Anthony, Hayden, Jace and Sophia; four sisters, Laura (Mike) Sheets, Carol Ringgenberg, Diane (Tim) Martin, and Barbie (Greg) Martin; mother-in-law, Judy Hall; sister-in-law, LouAnne Hall-Brown and her husband, Billy Brown; brother-in-law, Steven Hall (Ami), and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers memorials will be directed to the family and will be used to plant trees in John’s name.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left at www.ankenyfuneralhome.com for the Craig family.
