Richard G. Craft, 79, of Jackson passed away Thursday, March 15, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born June 2, 1932, in Wittenberg, Mo., to Moses and Louise Schmidt Kraft. He and Maxine Phillips were married Nov. 16, 1950. They had been married nearly 58 years when she passed away July 20, 2008.

Richard attended the former Oak Hill and High Hill grade schools in the Neelys Landing community. He first worked in the engine room on a riverboat. After he and Maxine were married they lived 12 years in St. Louis and he drove a truck. Upon returning to Jackson, he farmed, owned and operated the former Leemon Store in the mid-1960s, the former Craft Service Station in Jackson in the 1970s, and worked 21 years at Procter & Gamble, retiring in 1992. In his retirement, he continued to enjoy cattle farming and woodcutting.

Richard was a lifelong member of New Bethel Baptist Church near Pocahontas, where he previously served on the building and cemetery committees.

Loving survivors include four children, Phill (Marsha) Craft and Evon Crosno of Jackson, Dan Craft of Kansas City, Mo., Jeff (Lisa) Craft of Jackson; four grandchildren, Chad (Missy) Craft, Brooke (Freddie) Santos, Jessica (Adam) Fitzgerald, Alisha Craft; a great-grandson, Caleb Craft; his first friend, Mary Jane Hendershott of Jackson; and four sisters, Dorothy Hines, Mildred Amschler, Irene Groeneman and Lillian Hubert.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson; and three siblings, Leonard and Raymond Craft and Ruby Knox.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, with the Rev. John Rhodes officiating. Burial will be in New Bethel Baptist Cemetery near Pocahontas.

Pallbearers will be Phill, Dan, Jeff and Chad Craft, Walter Biri and Johnny Quade.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to the New Bethel Cemetery Fund.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.