On July 10, 2022, God called our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather Lt. Col. Terrance R. Craig to his heavenly home.
Terrance Reed Craig was born May 19, 1935, in the town of Liberty Center, Ind. He was the fourth child of five children to the late Clarence and Mary Craig.
In May of 1948, at the age of 13, he gave his life to God and became a Christian. At the age of 14, he was appointed as a Senate page of the 86th General Assembly of the State of Indiana. Thus began his passion for God and country, which lasted through the rest of his life until the end of his journey.
He played basketball in high school and was selected as one of the only three boys to be Wells County Representatives to Hoosier Boys State at Indianapolis. He was elected president of his senior class in high school, he was the sport editor on the Liberty Bell staff and class salutatorian. After high school he attended Purdue University, where he was a member of the Arnold Air Society, Lambia Chi Alpha fraternity, inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society and became a distinguished graduate of the class of 1957 Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps Program. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree with two majors, general science and physical education. He was an officer and a gentleman by act of Congress, signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957.
He rose through the ranks of the Air Force, starting as a Second Lieutenant. During that time, he graduated from Indiana University with a master’s of business administration, where he was inducted into the SIGMA Sota Epsilon Honorary Management Fraternity. While he was a Major in the Air Force, he graduated from Air Command and Staff College, Professional Military Comptroller Course and Air War College. He rose to Lt. Colonel and during his Air Force career, he was awarded the Medal of Commendation three times and the Meritorious Service Medal.
After retirement from the military, he purchased a large farm in Tennessee and worked as management consultant for Huyck Formax, Business Manager of Knoxville College and business manager for Tusculum College. He was one of the incorporators, president, and chairman of the board of directors for Christian Self-Help Inc. He faithfully attended Freedom Baptist Church and was one the founders of the Patriot’s Brigade of Tennessee.
Terrance leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 66 years, Sonja (Schug) Craig; two daughters, Terrie Walker and her husband, Terry, and Trendala Swart and her husband, Mike; five grandchildren, Caleb Walker, Meghan Jones, Jessie Coleman, Jackie Holder and Gage Ricker; and four great-grandchildren, Aiden Hernandez, Ender Coleman, Jace and Lucy Jones.
He was preceded in death by his son, Timothy, and daughter, Tatina Ricker.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, July 14, at Doughty-Stevens Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow visitation at 7 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Charles Lindy and Mr. C.M. Cobble officiating.
Graveside services with military honors will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, at Woodlawn Cemetery in Warren, Ind.