Margaret May Craddock

Margaret May Craddock, 94, of Tool, Texas, passed away peacefully, surrounded by those she loved, on Friday, July 24, 2026. Born on Leap Day, February 29, 1932, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Robert Lee Craddock and Mary Estelle Feizor Craddock, Maggie delighted in reminding everyone she was really only "23½ years old" because she'd only celebrated that many birthdays. If you asked how she was doing, her trademark reply was almost always, "Mean and ornery," delivered with a twinkle in her eye that let everyone know she was anything but.

Maggie embraced life with an adventurous spirit and a heart that never stopped caring for others. At the age of 40, she proudly became a Licensed Vocational Nurse, dedicating herself to caring for others. She shared more than fifty wonderful years with the love of her life, Sue Watkins, and the two were finally able to marry in 2015. Together they traveled the world, riding the Orient Express, visiting Vatican City, Stonehenge, and the Eiffel Tower, while enjoying horse racing and cheering on their beloved Dallas Cowboys. Rescue dogs held a special place in Maggie's heart, and she often joked that she loved her dogs more than people. Later in life, she proudly became known as Granny Claus, joining her grandchildren, Elizabeth and Christopher, in bringing Christmas magic to countless families.

To Maggie, family wasn't defined by titles—it was defined by love. She is survived by her beloved family, Elizabeth and Christopher Saunders; their children, Michael, Samuel, and Phoenix; Beverly Margarette Trousdale; Mary Lucinda Dennehy and her husband, Sean; their fur-baby, Adora; Rickie Phipps; Joseph Trousdale and his wife, Anh; their children, Tyler and Travis; and Maggie’s beloved canine companions, Ahsoka and Dublin; and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, and by the love of her life and wife, Sue Watkins.

A memorial service celebrating Maggie's extraordinary life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made in Maggie's honor to a local animal rescue organization of choice, continuing her lifelong love of giving deserving animals a second chance.