Leolia Patricia (Pat) Harrington Craig passed away peacefully, with family present, Saturday evening, April 2, 2016, at the Macon Health Care Center in Macon, Missouri.
Pat was born on September 1, 1927, in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, the first of five children, to Orbie H. Harrington and Evelyne Perry Harrington. On April 10, 1943, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Pat married Clarence Merl Craig, to whom she was married for nearly fifty-seven years. Following Merl's discharge from the Army in 1945, Pat and Merl located to a farm in Adair County, Missouri, near Gifford. They created their family with the births of children Connie and Bobby. In 1949, Pat and Merl bought a farm in Sullivan County where they row cropped and ran a dairy. In 1967, with both children grown and on their own, Pat and Merl moved to Green Castle, where Merl was Postmaster for seventeen years.
Pat was a talented seamstress and cook and she was a meticulous housekeeper. However, Pat first and foremost was a Democrat, serving on the Sullivan County Democrat Committee and doing what she could to encourage voting. She otherwise was active in the community and was instrumental in the developing the Green Castle Senior Housing. She then served on the Housing Board for several years. She and Merl were active members of the Winigan Christian Church and the Christian Church in Green City. Pat later attended the Assembly of God Church in Green City.
Pat decided in the mid-1970s to return to school. She obtained her high school equivalency and set her eyes on obtaining a college education. In 1981, she graduated from Northeast Missouri State University (nowTruman State University) with a degree in Business Education. Thereafter she substitute taught in Sullivan and Adair Counties.
Pat, who was predeceased by her husband, her parents, and all four siblings, is survived by her daughter, Connie Kay Clerkin-Ramer (Ben), of Yuma, Arizona, and Barnett, Missouri; her son, Bobby M. Craig (Mary), of Green Castle, Missouri; four grandchildren--Michael Todd Mahurin, Gregory Mahurin (Melissa), Patricia Clerkin Anderson (Peter), and Tamara Craig Rodriguez (Jaime); twelve great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren. She also is survived by five beloved sisters-in-law, one brother in law, and several nieces and nephews.
Public visitation will be held 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, April 7, 2016, at Travis-Noe Funeral Home in Kirksville, Missouri.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 8, 2016, in the chapel of Travis-Noe Funeral Home with Pastor Alan Coonfield officiating. Interment will follow the service at Green Castle Cemetery in Green Castle, Missouri.
Pallbearers will be Gregory Mahurin, Daniel Mahurin, Steven Kilgore, Grant Kilgore, David Jones, and Christopher Daniels. Honorary pallbearers will be Michael Mahurin Jr., Todd Mahurin, Terry Kilgore, Kenneth Hill, Gene Nihiser, and Gary Powell.
Expression of sympathy in memory of Pat Craig may be made to the Cheesman Cemetery or the Green Castle Cemetery. Memorials may be mailed to Travis-Noe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 306, Kirksville, MO 63501.