Donald Ray Craigo Jr
Title
Donald Ray Craigo Jr
Source
Willis Funeral Home
Date
January 13, 2024
Text
Donald Ray Craigo Jr., 59, of Gallipolis died Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in his home.
He was born Feb. 7, 1964, in Columbus, Ohio, to the late Donald Ray Sr. and Elsie Craigo.
His passion was nature and especially wildlife, and he took a long drive on back roads every day at dusk so he could see what animals he could spot. He never came home disappointed, since there is so much life and beauty to be found in southeastern Ohio, and even a white-tailed deer raised his spirits and made him feel close to creation.
Professionally, Don had a lot of jobs, but he liked bartending best because it offered up so many fascinating characters. Don was a storyteller who enjoyed making people laugh, and the many characters he met kept him well stocked with funny narratives.
He was a great fan of NASCAR. Kevin Harvick was his favorite active driver, but his all-time favorite was the Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt. He had been looking forward to the start of the new racing season at the Daytona 500 in February.
In recent years, Don became very energized by politics, and he delighted in following conservative news sources and irking people on the other side of the spectrum. Even so, he was good-hearted and good-natured about it, and it seemed like he truly wanted America to be great – and it’s hard to fault someone for that.
Most importantly to his family, Don was a caregiver for his mom during the last decade or so of her life, and he devoted his whole heart to the job. They liked to have a beer together and bicker, and he never really got over her passing. When she died, he took in her little dog, and they did their best to console each other – also by bickering.
Don had a lifelong dream of living in a cabin in the wilderness, where he could be alone with nature and his musings. He would often share pictures of one-room log houses in the shadows of mountains or lit by a brilliant sunset. Maybe he’s found his cabin now.
Don is survived by his dog, Buddy; his sisters, Brenda Erdy of Greensboro, North Carolina, Karen Craigo of Springfield, Missouri, and Donna Craigo of Orlando, Florida; a niece and four nephews; and two dear friends and neighbors, Tammy Proctor and her dog, Boo.
A gathering will be held for the interment of Don’s ashes in the spring on Mound Hill. Please reach out to one of his sisters if you’d like to come.
If you want to honor Don’s memory, you might take some time to breathe in the grandeur and holiness of this world and the creatures in it, or you could cook enough of something to share with someone whose pot is empty. That’s what Don loved to do.
For memorial gifts, Don was in constant awe of the beauty of city park during the annual Gallipolis in Lights Christmas celebration, and you could provide some extra twinkle by mailing a check, payable to the city of Gallipolis, to Gallipolis in Lights, PO Box 1126, Gallipolis, Ohio 45631. Alternately, the family would welcome help with Don’s final expenses by Venmo @KarenCraigo.
He was born Feb. 7, 1964, in Columbus, Ohio, to the late Donald Ray Sr. and Elsie Craigo.
His passion was nature and especially wildlife, and he took a long drive on back roads every day at dusk so he could see what animals he could spot. He never came home disappointed, since there is so much life and beauty to be found in southeastern Ohio, and even a white-tailed deer raised his spirits and made him feel close to creation.
Professionally, Don had a lot of jobs, but he liked bartending best because it offered up so many fascinating characters. Don was a storyteller who enjoyed making people laugh, and the many characters he met kept him well stocked with funny narratives.
He was a great fan of NASCAR. Kevin Harvick was his favorite active driver, but his all-time favorite was the Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt. He had been looking forward to the start of the new racing season at the Daytona 500 in February.
In recent years, Don became very energized by politics, and he delighted in following conservative news sources and irking people on the other side of the spectrum. Even so, he was good-hearted and good-natured about it, and it seemed like he truly wanted America to be great – and it’s hard to fault someone for that.
Most importantly to his family, Don was a caregiver for his mom during the last decade or so of her life, and he devoted his whole heart to the job. They liked to have a beer together and bicker, and he never really got over her passing. When she died, he took in her little dog, and they did their best to console each other – also by bickering.
Don had a lifelong dream of living in a cabin in the wilderness, where he could be alone with nature and his musings. He would often share pictures of one-room log houses in the shadows of mountains or lit by a brilliant sunset. Maybe he’s found his cabin now.
Don is survived by his dog, Buddy; his sisters, Brenda Erdy of Greensboro, North Carolina, Karen Craigo of Springfield, Missouri, and Donna Craigo of Orlando, Florida; a niece and four nephews; and two dear friends and neighbors, Tammy Proctor and her dog, Boo.
A gathering will be held for the interment of Don’s ashes in the spring on Mound Hill. Please reach out to one of his sisters if you’d like to come.
If you want to honor Don’s memory, you might take some time to breathe in the grandeur and holiness of this world and the creatures in it, or you could cook enough of something to share with someone whose pot is empty. That’s what Don loved to do.
For memorial gifts, Don was in constant awe of the beauty of city park during the annual Gallipolis in Lights Christmas celebration, and you could provide some extra twinkle by mailing a check, payable to the city of Gallipolis, to Gallipolis in Lights, PO Box 1126, Gallipolis, Ohio 45631. Alternately, the family would welcome help with Don’s final expenses by Venmo @KarenCraigo.
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Citation
“Donald Ray Craigo Jr,” Meigs County Library History Site, accessed May 18, 2024, http://history.meigslibrary.org/items/show/24804.