Frederick (Fred) Craig

Frederick (Fred) Charles Craig, 75, of Port Charlotte, FL, passed away on February 25, 2024 at Alpha Senior Concepts, Green Bay, WI.

Fred was born on June 10, 1948 to Rev. Kennieth and Dorothy Craig in Bloomington, IL.  His preschool years were in Bonesteel, SD  There, he learned to ride a most difficult bicycle that his father crafted for him out of a tricycle;  bent the frame to use only 1 small rear wheel. People would cheer from their homes as he peddled passed on that ridiculous contraption.

He attended early grade school in Augusta, WI. There he enjoyed swimming and fishing in the creek where he caught the only trout ever landed there.  Winter offered the wildest ride ever down Sandy Slide on a piece of waxed cardboard to the bottom of the hill to the barbed wire fence…ouch!

His next move was to Winneconne, WI, where he attended grade school and high school. At the early age of 12, Fred began a lawn mowing venture that quickly grew to hiring several friends, and a trove of 4 mowers needing maintenance. He used skills from that throughout his life. In high school, he gained recognition in pole vaulting, track, football and basketball.  He also continued his love of the water; swimming, fishing, and boating on the Wolf River.  He graduated from Winneconne High School in 1966 as president of his class, and went on to attend UW-Oshkosh.  He landed his first job at Kimberly Clark in Neenah.  

Fred spent the majority of his life in the Minneapolis area with his third wife Muriel (Mert), where he built and maintained his sales company, traveling throughout the US and to China.  Fred spent his retirement years enjoying golf at their home near Spooner, WI, followed by his later years in Port Charlotte, FL.

Some of the most memorable moments of life with Fred include singing with family on the back porch of Grandma and Grandpa’s place in Ontario, WI, having bubble gum blowing contests, making fudge on the marble slab and english toffee in the kitchen, camping at Castle Rock, Christmas gatherings in Mauston, puzzle-building on the weekends, cribbage, and Valley Fair, pheasant and deer hunting. Fred was an avid golfer and taught his youngest daughter, Krystal, everything she knows about the game she loves…father-daughter days were priceless. Everyone looked forward to playing with Fred. 

Fred was predeceased by his wife, Mert, and his parents. He is survived by his brothers, David (Sharon) Craig: and nephew Kevin, Jim (Yvonne) Craig; nephews Jared (Julia), and Justin; his four children, Stephanie (Jeff) Ruesch, Sonya Sprague, Nicklaus (Valerie) Craig and Krystal (Rich) Birkholz; and his seven grandchildren, Jensen,  Lawson, Taylor, Olivia, Samantha, Zoey and Zander.