George P. Craft

George P. Craft, 66, of Orange, passed from this life to Glory on Monday, March 23, 2009, in St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont .

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Claybar Funeral Home in Orange, with the Rev. Mike Umbenhaur, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Orange, officiating.

Burial will follow in Wright Cemetery near Buna.

Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home.

Born in Orange on Feb. 14, 1943, Mr. Craft was the son of Mary Jo (Williams) and Alonzo Craft Jr. and was an owner of Craft Oil Co. He was a graduate of Sam Houston State and a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He was a faithful member of First Presbyterian Church in Orange where he served as elder, and was a former member of Gideon International.

Preceded in death by his parents; uncle, George D. Craft Sr .; niece, Margo Johnson; and great nephew, Robert Johnson, Mr. Craft is survived by his wife, Sue Craft of Orange; son, Grant Craft of Orange; daughter and son-in-law, Sloane and Ronald Burrow of Buna; grandchildren, Tristan Craft-McKnight, Danyon Nelson, Landon Nelson; brother and sister-in-law, Lon and Diana Craft of Orange.

Also surviving are his father-in-law and mother-in-law, W.E. and Pat Whittaker; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Nancy and Leon Johnson; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, W.E. and Patty Whittaker; aunt, Etta Mae Craft; nieces and nephews, Lon K. Craft, Katy Tabone, Drew Craft, David Johnson, Barry Whittaker, Megan Whittaker and Amanda Tabone.

Serving as pallbearers will be Lon K. Craft, Drew Craft, Dickie Colburn, Henry Seals, Mike Morris, Jim Poje, Ron Rehfuss, Steve Aguillard, Pete Runnels and Don Martell.

Memorials may be directed to the Restoration Fund at First Presbyterian Church, 902 W. Green Ave., Orange, 77630; family members said.