On Saturday, September 6 at 4:43pm, (Keith) Ray Craft was called upon to put down his earthy tool-belt and pick up the key to his eternal home. Apparently, the list of folks requesting his unmatched quality of work was getting long in God’s house, so Ray went on to make Heaven a more beautiful place.
Although he spent 78 years with us, we weren’t ready to let him go. But when it was time for him to leave, he was surrounded by family in his home, on the farm. It was a fitting farewell to the man who spent his life working the land, crafting cabinetry, building homes and carefully curating a beautiful herd of Gelbvieh cattle.
Ray was born on May 30, 1947, grew up in Amoret with two older brothers, Wayne and Tom on the farm owned by his parents, Pauline (Thomas) and Kenneth Craft. He attended school at Amoret until he moved to Miami School in 7th grade. Sophomore year, Ray and Joy began dating, marrying on June 5th 1964.
In many ways the couple grew up together, as they built a life with their three children, Debbie, Kelly and Julie, on their own farm, situated across the gravel road from Kenneth and Pauline. In his younger years, Ray worked at Midwest Victorian Marble Plant from 1965 until 1976, when he went to work for Elmer John Taute as a carpenter. Clearly Ray found his calling as he spent the rest of his life working in construction. He was a skilled craftsman with a strong work ethic. Someone once told him that a good carpenter knew how to cover-up their mistakes. That didn’t set well with Ray. He didn’t believe in covering up mistakes, he believed in doing things with pride, in the right way, and if it wasn’t right…there was no covering up…for him the only option was to fix whatever was wrong properly.
Ray enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping with his family and working alongside of them doing all manner of tasks on the farm. In 2003 Ray and Joy became the proud owners of a quaint cabin on Table Rock Lake near Branson Missouri. Over the years Ray and Joy spent many wonderful days boating, hunting for flea market treasures, building new friendships, and tinkering in the yard. Of course, Ray expanded and improved every aspect of the cabin, creating a truly special place for he and Joy, their children, grandchildren and now their great-grands.
Ray and Joy both owned their own businesses and were extremely active members of the Virginia United Methodist Church where they worked as youth group leaders for many years together. Ray was still an active member of the Board of Trustees and held the office of Administrative Board Chair for over 35 years.
Ray Craft was a hard-working man who was known for his honesty, integrity and above all…his quick wit and never-ending quest to make others smile through his clever words and well planned out pranks. One of the valuable legacies he passed on to the younger generations in his family, was his unique way of allowing humor to strengthen them through the difficult seasons of life.
Ray’s difficulties have ended and there’s nothing but laughter for him today, as he builds his eternal home in glory.
Ray was preceded in death by his brothers, Wayne and Tom, his parents, Kenneth and Pauline, and one daughter-in-law, DeAnn. He is survived by his wife, Joy, of the home, his children; Debbie (husband Gary), Kelly, Julie (husband John), ten grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren. Ray felt he was very lucky. He loved the family related to him by blood…and was blessed by his in-law children and grandchildren as well.
