R.E. “Ed” Craig, 95, died Sept. 26, 2021 in Wichita.
He was born Aug. 22, 1926, on a farm outside Earlton, Kansas the son of Herschel and Mary Taylor Craig. Ed spent his childhood growing up in Independence and Sublette, Kansas.
He lived through the Dust Bowl growing up in Sublette and traveled the Midwest in Swing/dance bands in the 1940’s. Teaching band for nearly 40 years, Ed was inducted into the Kansas Music Educators Hall of Fame in 1993. Well respected by his students and peers across Kansas, he lead many great concert and marching bands with superior ratings through the years. During his 30 years as director of the instrumental music program at Kingman, his band program grew from 40 to 275 musicians. The Kingman band was invited to perform for many special clinics and workshops throughout Kansas and the Midwest. Craig served as state chairman for the ASBDA, state president for Phi Beta Mu, state president for the KBA, and board member for KMEA. He received the KAA-phi Beta Mu Outstanding Bank Director Award, the Kingman Jaycee Award as the Outstanding Young Teacher, the Mac Award, and honorary membership in Kappa Kappa Psi. He also had a successful second career as a Financial Planner for Waddell and Reed.
On Sept. 26, 1947, he married Glenna Killion in Neodesha, Kansas; she survives. Other survivors include sons Kit and Tiger (Marilyn) Craig; daughter Candy (Jim) Ashcraft; grandchildren Diane and Kenton Ashcraft, Emma Craig, Miles, Jared and Natalie Craig; and great-grandchildren Ethan Pearson and Evan Ashcraft.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m,. Friday, at the Kingman United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday at the Livingston Funeral Home. Covid protocol and the use of masks is highly encouraged. Burial will be in the Walnut Hill Cemetery.
Memorials may be made with the Kingman Lions Club or the R.E. Craig Music Scholarship both in care of the Livingston Funeral Home.