1945
Lonnie
2023
Lonnie D. Craig
August 17, 1945 — March 21, 2023
Lonnie Dean Craig, 77, of Keizer, Oregon, passed away on March 21, 2023, surrounded by friends and family.
He was born in Salem, Oregon to Gail and Jeanne Craig. Growing up with a parent in the Air Force allowed Lonnie to travel from base to base, attending schools in Guam before graduating from South Salem High School in 1964. After graduation, Lonnie proudly served his country, joining the US Army as a Medical Corpsman before being honorably discharged after his deployment in Vietnam.
After returning from the war, Lonnie spent a few years working in respiratory therapy, until finding his true passion and love in Oregon’s horseracing. He owned Lone Oak Racing, which brought horseracing back to his hometown and he dedicated over 40 years to various other tracks, holding jobs from starter and morning clocker to racing secretary. He prided himself in being a hard worker, never shying away from the job at hand. A consummate supporter of the racers even throughout his retirement, he still volunteered to run race meets and hosted annual fish feeds at Tillamook with fish from his summers on the Kenai.
Always willing to share his life experiences, Lonnie found great pleasure in telling stories. Strangers quickly became friends whenever they would visit with him. Lonnie found comfort and comradery in his friends and family and had a special bond with his nephew Zach.
Lonnie is survived by his children: son William “Cody” Craig (Hayley), daughter Robyn Craig, son Christopher Craig (Crystal), sister Barbara “Bobby” Flaherty (Tom), nephew Joey Flaherty, niece Maggie Foresee (Scott), great niece Hannah Samples and great nephew Zachary Samples. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Gail and Jeanne, and his loving sister, Connie.
In lieu of a funeral or memorial service, the family is asking for anyone who knew Lonnie to spend a day doing something they love in his memory. Most summers could find Lonnie on the banks of an Alaskan river, enjoying the outdoors and spending time with friends and loved ones. Remember him through the sound of a starting gate being released or the tug on a fishing line.
He was born in Salem, Oregon to Gail and Jeanne Craig. Growing up with a parent in the Air Force allowed Lonnie to travel from base to base, attending schools in Guam before graduating from South Salem High School in 1964. After graduation, Lonnie proudly served his country, joining the US Army as a Medical Corpsman before being honorably discharged after his deployment in Vietnam.
After returning from the war, Lonnie spent a few years working in respiratory therapy, until finding his true passion and love in Oregon’s horseracing. He owned Lone Oak Racing, which brought horseracing back to his hometown and he dedicated over 40 years to various other tracks, holding jobs from starter and morning clocker to racing secretary. He prided himself in being a hard worker, never shying away from the job at hand. A consummate supporter of the racers even throughout his retirement, he still volunteered to run race meets and hosted annual fish feeds at Tillamook with fish from his summers on the Kenai.
Always willing to share his life experiences, Lonnie found great pleasure in telling stories. Strangers quickly became friends whenever they would visit with him. Lonnie found comfort and comradery in his friends and family and had a special bond with his nephew Zach.
Lonnie is survived by his children: son William “Cody” Craig (Hayley), daughter Robyn Craig, son Christopher Craig (Crystal), sister Barbara “Bobby” Flaherty (Tom), nephew Joey Flaherty, niece Maggie Foresee (Scott), great niece Hannah Samples and great nephew Zachary Samples. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Gail and Jeanne, and his loving sister, Connie.
In lieu of a funeral or memorial service, the family is asking for anyone who knew Lonnie to spend a day doing something they love in his memory. Most summers could find Lonnie on the banks of an Alaskan river, enjoying the outdoors and spending time with friends and loved ones. Remember him through the sound of a starting gate being released or the tug on a fishing line.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lonnie D. Craig, please visit our flower store.
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