Jessica Craft

Jessica Holland Craft November 7, 1973-April 19, 2015 Jessica Holland Craft was born in Houston, Texas on November 7, 1973 and moved to Teague, Texas at the age three. She attended school and First United Methodist Church in Teague, also spending much time with family in the rural community of Freestone, Texas. She once posted an aerial photo of her grandmother's and aunt and uncle's farm saying, "No matter where I may be, this is the road that always leads home." She was married to her devoted husband Roy Craft, Jr., on July 16, 2005 and made her home in Temple for the past 14 years. Jessica will be remembered for her kind heart, great love of children and family, plain spoken observations, wonderful writing and her sense of humor. If Dolly Parton and the fictional character Julia Sugarbaker were combined, that would describe her personality: sharp wit, Southern to a fault, and gifted with a turn of phrase. Her sympathies lay with the underdog and the disadvantaged. She will be remembered for always caring for others above herself. As a teenager, she spent her time volunteering at a local nursing home, spending time with the elderly who had no others to visit them. As an adult, her chief desire was to make life better for children, as evidenced by the many foster children she and her husband cared for and their adoption of four children. She was never happier than when surrounded by children. The birth of her son Joseph twenty-one years ago began her life-long occupation of raising a family. Jessica was also very beautiful, and thoroughly enjoyed helping others to look their best. She was an accomplished cosmetologist, and at one time owned and operated her own salon in downtown Belton, Texas. She was preceded in death by her father, Stephen M. Holland, maternal grandparents, Leonard and Mildred Miller Yielding, paternal grandparents, Alvah and Melba Miears Holland, step-grandparent Alice Leath, aunt, Peggy Holland and uncle, Alvah Holland, Jr. She is survived by her husband, Roy Craft, Jr., sons, Joseph W. Rolirad and Andrew Craft, daughters, Daniella, Mya and Sophia Craft, all of Temple, Texas, step-son Rex Craft and step-daughter, Lorin Craft of San Marcos, Texas, sister, Elizabeth Holland Simmons of San Antonio, Texas, step-brothers, Cliff Leath and wife Charla of Detroit, Texas, Jason Leath and wife Kristi, and Jeff Leath and wife, Karen all of Kingwood, Texas, parents Jack and Sylvia Yielding Leath of Waco, Texas, aunts and uncles, Charlsie and Don Stirton of Freestone, Texas, Don and Elizabeth Yielding of West Monroe, Louisiana, and Peggy Henderson and husband John of Nowata, Oklahoma , nieces Jeslyn Simmons, Delaney Leath, Jenna Leath, and Kaity Leath, and nephews, Nathan Leath, Trevor Leah, Matthew Leath, Jake Leath, Cole Leath, Kyle Connelly, and Luke Leath, her husband's parents, Shirley and Roy Craft, Sr., sisters-in-law, Vanessa Chaffee and Lynn Potts of Temple, brother-in-law Larry Craft of Hopewell, Virginia and their families, as well as many beloved cousins and extended family. She leaves behind many kind friends in the Temple, Teague and Waco communities. Visitation will be at 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home and the service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home. Jessica's family wishes to express their gratitude to Scott and White Hospital's ICU, North Tower's Sixth Floor and Hospice employees for the expert, kind and loving care that she and her family received there.