Matilda Barbara Craig was born in Baltimore, Maryland on May 3, 1924, to George and Barbara Butt. She had two brothers and a sister. She grew up in the Baltimore area. In her teen years she had to leave school and start working at the local Woolworth store to help support her family. She met James C. Craig Sr., in the early 1940’s and they married on November 21, 1945. In June of 1958 they moved to the Denver, Colorado area. They spent four years in Washington from about 1984-1992, and decided to come back to Denver, where she lived for the rest of her life. After 56 years of marriage, James passed away in 2001, leaving behind their five beloved children: James C. (Linda) Craig Jr.; Dale Craig, Robert Craig, Sharon Craig Oliver, and Grant Craig. Matilda had 11 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren as well as many more friends that became family.
She worked hard all her life, whether it was in her job, or taking care of her family. She was well known and loved by everyone she met. Everywhere she went, she touched so many lives and made their lives richer and better. Matilda was a very feisty woman that was unapologetically herself. She enjoyed family gatherings and parties. She was even known to partake in the ‘share the bottle’ shots that the family would do. She enjoyed her cocktails as well as Mogen David Wine, but her favorite was what she could get her ‘bartender’ to make. She was once an avid fisher and loved her sports, especially NASCAR, and of course, her local Colorado sports teams.
Matilda loved her family; even those that were not her family by blood. Everyone called her Grandma. She loved to take care of people. After her husband passed, she knew she needed to stick around to make sure everyone else was taken care of, which lasted about 20 years. The last couple of years had taken their toll on her. She lost her youngest son Grant, in September of 2018 and her youngest grandson Willis, in September of 2020, a short two months ago. She felt she needed to go take care of Daddy, Grant, and Willis now. Matilda peacefully passed away in her home on November 21, 2020, surrounded by family, on what would have been her 75th wedding anniversary.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Barbara Butt, all of her siblings, her husband James C Craig Sr., youngest son, Grant Craig, and her youngest grandson Willis Oliver.
Services will be available to livestream on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 11:00 am on Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary's facebook page: https://facebook.com/olingercrownhill
