John Paul Craft

Memoriam

John Paul Craft, Jr., born November 11, 1945 in Alderson, WV, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, March 5, 2015. He went peacefully at his home. Moving here from Dallas, TX, he has lived in Cleveland for the past 40 years.

He was retired from Duracell and loved to fish.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Paul Craft; mother, Glenna Virginia Grimmett; brother, Steve Craft, and sister Anne Blevins.

He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Velda Faye Craft; daughter, Cheryl White and husband Wally; son, John Paul Craft III and wife Robin; five grandchildren, Zachary Blackwell, Austin Blackwell, Alexis Craft, Rachel White, and Tyler Green; special niece, Raeann Osborne and husband Chris; brothers, Bobby Grimmett (Jackie) of Scurry, TX, Benny Craft (Cathy) of Dallas, TX, Melvin Craft (Sandy) of Lewisburg, WV, and Dennis Craft (Eileen) of Greenville, WV; sister, Sue Huston (Jack) of Lewisburg, VA; and several nieces and nephews also survive.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 9, 2015 in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Reverend Eric Washburn officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens with Wally White, Tim Blackwell, Don Blackwell, Grey Trentham, Wesley Tragesser, Lyndon Jones, and Zack Johnson serving as pallbearers. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service.

The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, March 8, 2015 at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Mary Ellen Locher Foundation at P.O. Box 4032, Chattanooga, TN 37405, or at www.melfoundation.org.