Craig Leon Ray Schreibman

Craig Schreibman was born in Rockford, Illinois on October 10, 1931. He was the son of Dave Schreibman and Jean Opal (Wheaton) Schreibman.

Craig spent his early childhood years living in the Chicago area as well as in Omaha, Nebraska, where his father’s grandparents lived. He remembered hard times growing up in the Depression era and learned not to take things for granted or be wasteful with things. Also, as a child, he survived a serious bout of pneumonia that had kept him confined to his bed for nine months when he was about six-years old. Times were not all bad for a boy growing up in those years. Craig had fond memories of playing in his grandparents’ basement and learning woodworking from his grandfather. Young boys in that time had a lot of freedom and Craig enjoyed all kinds of adventures as a young child.

Craig moved to San Diego with his mother and father around 1941 when he was about ten-years old. His father, Dave Schreibman, was an ironworker and the building boom in California offered opportunities with so much construction underway.

Originally, the family located near Old Town San Diego and Craig told stories of the family walking to downtown San Diego to buy groceries and carrying them back up the hills to get home to Old Town. After a time, the family purchased a home on Alamo Drive in the Rolando area, in what was a brand, new subdivision at the time. Living in Rolando, the family added one more son, Gary Schreibman, who was Craig’s younger brother. Gary passed away in 1994.

As a youth, Craig attended elementary school in both San Diego and La Mesa. He was active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and told stories of camping in Adobe Falls, at the eastern edge of Mission Valley. “We had to build a fire without using matches and cook something that someone else could eat,” Craig recalled. “The fire was easy; I had a near bonfire going. But I badly burned some bacon and I had to force my Dad to eat it so I could earn my merit badge.” In High School, Craig attended Grossmont High School where he was a star athlete in Track and Field.

Craig was used to taking on odd jobs in his youth and often remarked that his school studies were limited to the time he spent in class because the rest of the time was his own to work and earn money. He had a number of different jobs but eventually became an apprentice in an upholstery shop. It didn’t take Craig long to learn the trade and while Craig was still in his teenage years, Craig became the owner of his own upholstering business. Craig’s Custom Upholstering and Breakfast Nooks expanded into a major business that Craig would operate throughout his life.

In 1955, Craig married his secretary, Mary L. Okuniewicz, on New Year’s Eve. They enjoyed free time taking weekend trips in their convertible T-Bird. They enjoyed driving up the coast on Highway 101 or heading east to Arizona or taking trips to Las Vegas.

Craig also enjoyed a brief work experience when he took time away from the upholstering business to work in the June Lake area with a friend of his to help construct the ski lift for the June Lake Ski Slopes. Craig loved to tell stories of his days spent in June Lake working outside in snow conditions.

Craig and Mary had two children together, Patricia and Dave Schreibman. Craig and Mary divorced in 1968. Patricia married Ron Radcliff in 1989. They had one daughter, Natasha Radcliff, who was still-born in 1998, and one son, Trevor Radcliff, who was born in 2000. Dave had one son, Randall Schreibman, who was born in 1991. Craig loved spending time with his children and grandchildren. He especially enjoyed watching Randall pitch for his high school baseball team. Craig was very proud of the man Randall was growing up to be. Craig also enjoyed his youngest grandson, Trevor, and loved hearing him tell stories about karate and Cub Scouts. One of Craig’s last woodworking projects was to help Trevor with a toolbox for Trevor’s Cub Scout Webelos project.

After Craig’s divorce with Mary, he united with his long-time companion, Thelma Whitelock. Craig and Thelma remained together until her death in 1997. They enjoyed entertaining guests in the pool room in their home and also playing shuffleboard at various locations throughout San Diego.

Craig’s interests included dancing to swing and jitterbug music. He spent a lot of time in his earlier years deep-sea fishing and even did a bit of sailing, participating in the San Diego to Ensenada Sailboat Races. He enjoyed bowling, shuffleboard and playing pool and in later years took on his younger family members in bocce ball. He was an avid fan of both the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Chargers. He also enjoyed watching car racing, having raced jalopy cars in his earlier days and later having owned and sponsored a midget race car in San Diego.

Craig also enjoyed ocean cruises, taking his last cruise with his family for a week-long trip to Mexico in August of 2010. It had always been a dream of his to take a cruise with his children, Patricia and Dave, and he enjoyed his time with both of them and also Patricia’s husband, Ron Radcliff, and their son, Trevor Radcliff. .

Craig was an active member of La Mesa Masonic Lodge No. 407 in La Mesa, California. He was initiated into the lodge in 1956. He received his 50-year pin in December of 2008.

Determined to run his business and continue working to the end of his days, Craig had been slowed down by a broken leg around the Thanksgiving holidays in 2010. Prior to that time, Craig worked six-day work weeks for more than 60 years as the owner of Craig’s Custom Upholstering in San Diego. “I think I’ve been in most of the older houses in San Diego,” Craig often said, having done custom upholstering work for many San Diegans over the years. Craig’s business rose and fell with the economy through the years, having had more than 50 employees in 1955 to just one – himself – in 2010. In his later years, he worked with an independent contractor to complete the jobs. “Many people just don’t hold onto quality furniture anymore,” Craig often remarked. “It’s often less expensive to buy new, inexpensive furniture than to reupholster something existing.” Many of Craig’s clients included those looking for custom fabrics or those with antique furniture they wanted to restore. A favorite client was the Darlington House in La Jolla.

Craig never complained about his health and never let it get him down. He had a strong work ethic and was rarely discouraged with day-to-day obstacles, having lived through much tougher times in his youth. He was a kind man who was always cheerful and welcoming to those who surrounded him.

On December 13, 2010, Craig Schreibman, at 79-years-old, passed away at Kaiser Hospital in San Diego. Surrounded by his family, Craig took his last breath as a result of conditions associated with kidney failure. He was very peaceful in his last moments. Amongst his final words, Craig spoke of his “one, big, happy family.”

Craig is survived by his son, Dave Schreibman, his daughter, Patricia Schreibman and her husband, Ron Radcliff, his first wife and good friend, Mary Uhlman, and his two grandsons, Randall Schreibman and Trevor Radcliff. He will be missed by his family and numerous friends who loved him dearly.

Arrangements under the direction of Glen Abbey Mortuary, Bonita, CA.