Charles Joseph Craycraft

Jack (Charles) Craycraft aka “Coach, almost 96 of Tempe, Arizona passed away peacefully on February 21, 2013. He was born in Richmond, IN on March 15, 1917. Jack was a fantastic athlete growing up in Richmond. He attended Earlham College where he was active playing basketball, baseball and football. Jack married his high school sweetheart, Marty Bullerdick in 1941 and enlisted in the Navy as a Seabee to fight in World War II. He displayed courage and tenacity at Omaha Beach in the Normandy Invasion. After the war, Jack used his GI bill to graduate from Ball State University with a degree in Education. As a member of the Naval Reserve, Jack was one of the first 100 soldiers called to fight in the Korean War. He served as a deep sea diver and welder during this tenure with the Navy.

Jack taught middle school science during his 25-year teaching career in Peru, IN. He was especially proud of his 25 years of coaching basketball, football and golf. Many of his varsity golf teams qualified for the Indiana State Championship. Jack and Marty were avid golfers and bridge players. They lived near a golf course and had their own golf cart. During the summers, they would play golf every day – rain or shine. Upon retirement in 1979, Jack and Marty moved to Tempe, Arizona, where they continued their love of golf with 3-day golf trips all over the states of Arizona and California.

Jack was a man of commitment – to his family, friends and his country. His love of singing was evident to everyone who knew him. During the last couple of years, he especially loved singing “I’ve Been Working On The Railroad”. All his friends at Park Regency loved hearing him sing and have him greet them with a Cocka-doodle-doo! Jack is survived by Marty, his loving wife of 72 years, and his three loving children, Sonja (Mike), Chuck (Martha) and Jo; six grandchildren, Greg (Dianne), Brian (Jenni) & Steve (Shelley) Redmon and Brent (Juana), Sara and Scot (Danelle) Craycraft; eleven great-grandchildren, Jen, Cooper, Lily, Brooke, Tyler, Spencer, Noah & Tanner Redmon, and Brittany, Juan and Ashley Craycraft.

The Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at 2 PM, visitation with the family will be available prior from 12 PM – 2 PM at the Valley of the Sun Memorial Park, 10940 E. Chandler Heights Road, Chandler, AZ. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Hospice of the Valley at 1510 E. Flower St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, or to the Alzheimer’s Association. For additional information and to send your condolences visit www.valleyofthesunfuneralhome.com.