James C. Craig - Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory

James C. Craig

September 30, 1916 - March 12, 2016

James C. Craig, age 99, of Newark, DE, passed away on Saturday, March 12, 2016.

He was born in Altoona, PA, in 1916, the son of the late James G. Craig and Edith R. (Crowell) Craig.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Craig was predeceased by his wife of 77 years, Martha (Bigum) Craig. He is survived by his son, Ronald J. Craig (Carmen) of Middletown, DE; his daughters, Judith A. Gage (Dave) of Anacortes, WA and Sandra R. Craig (the late Jack Penders) of Rose Valley, PA; 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandchild.

He married Martha Bigum in Barrington, NJ in 1937. They celebrated their 77th anniversary in 2014 just before she passed in November of that year, at home, with her dedicated caregiver, James, by her side.

Mr. Craig served in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII, subsequently attending Temple University where he obtained his degree in Electrical Engineering. He worked for ITE Corporation (which later became Asea Brown Boveri) in Philadelphia and South Carolina from 1945 until his retirement in 1981. He was awarded several patents for circuit breaker equipment during his employment.

James and his wife, Martha, lived in Mt. Ephraim, NJ for 35 years, where their children were born. He was active in the Mt. Ephraim Methodist Church and the local Boy Scout Troop, and was a member of the Mt. Ephraim School Board for over 25 years, serving as President for several of those years.

He moved to Delaware in 1989, after relocating from New Jersey to South Carolina with the company in 1979, where he and Martha have made their home in New Castle, then Newark.

Mr. Craig was a true representative of The Greatest Generation, respected and admired by those he touched throughout his life. He was loved and admired as the patriarch of his family, and will be greatly missed. He passed peacefully and with dignity at home.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 am on Saturday morning, March 26, 2016 at the Spicer- Mullikin Funeral Home, 121 W. Park Place, Newark, DE, where a visitation for family and friends will be held from 11 am until 11:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the First United Methodist Church of Mt. Ephraim, 201 New Jersey Ave., Mt. Ephraim, NJ 08059.

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3 Condolences for James C. Craig

  • Dear Craig family:

    I wish to convey my sincerest condolences to your entire family. Losing a loved one in death is one is one of the hardest things that anyone will ever have to deal with. There is a great hope held out to us for the future because God promises to bring those we lost back to life by means of a resurrection to a paradise earth, where sickness and death will be no more. I hope this brief message will bring you a measure of comfort in this difficult time.

  • After reading the entirety of Pop-pop’s years here, I’m overwhelmed w his dedication to the important things in life and his success in those endeavors. I’m very proud to call him my grandfather. Pop-pop embodied the principle of not filling up life’s jar w less important sand before making room for the more important big rocks. Whether it was family, home, health, finances, community, or country, Pop-pop was dedicated to doing the hard work at every turn. A truly admirable life.

  • It is an honor and a delight to have spent quality time with Uncle Jimmie. He was truly a “gentle man.” We will greatly miss seeing him,