Charlie Craig

CHARLIE CRAIG

June 7, 1929 – May 25, 2026

Charles Elbert Craig, Jr., age 96, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 25, 2026, in Houston, Texas. “Charlie”, as he was known to all, was born June 7, 1929, in Houston, Texas to Charles Elbert Craig and Eula Lee (Webb) Craig. Charlie attended Edgar Allen Poe and River Oaks Elementary Schools in Houston before moving with his family, first to New Orleans, Louisiana, then to Brookline, Massachusetts, and finally to El Campo, Texas where he graduated from El Campo High School in 1946. Charlie’s father had joined the war effort, eventually being promoted to Lt. Colonel in charge of all water transportation in the China-Burma-India theater of World War II.

Following in the footsteps of his father and uncle (Samuel Reid Craig), Charlie began college in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M College. After completing one year at A&M, he transferred to the University of Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1952.

As a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at UT, he met his future bride, Joanne Maude Kingsbery, a member of Alpha Phi Sorority, and they were married in Austin, Texas on April 27, 1951. Kay Kingsbery Craig, their first child, was born in Austin.

Charlie landed his first professional role with the Western Company, an oil field services firm, and moved the new family to West Texas to begin a career in the “oil patch”. Charlie’s work assignments took the family to Borger, Texas; Hobbs, New Mexico; and Snyder, Texas. The growing family welcomed a second child, Samuel “Sam” Reid Craig II, born in Snyder. Eventually the dust, heat, and parched land of the Texas oil fields, along with constant relocation, inspired Charlie to pursue his entrepreneurial spirit back in his hometown.

He left the Western Company, and in 1959 partnered with his father-in-law, Joseph “Joe” Carl Kingsbery, to start an asphalt paving company in Houston, Texas. Craig & Kingsbery became a successful venture, and when Joe retired, Charlie started a new company in 1973 with a new business partner named Arnold Heidt, who had been Joanne’s friend and classmate at Austin High School. During this time the family welcomed their third and fourth children, Randall “Randy” Scott Craig, and Lindsey Rene Craig, both born in Houston.

The new company, known as Craig & Heidt, Inc. grew quickly and expanded its services into what would become a major civil engineering works contractor. Charlie’s daughter, Kay, joined the firm in 1977, and son, Sam, in 1980, and both played salient roles in the successful growth of the company over the next several decades. As Sam and Kay developed their entrepreneurial expertise, Sam as President and Kay as CFO, Charlie transitioned the ownership and leadership to this effective family team. After Kay’s retirement in 2023, Sam began the process of succession planning with his sons, Joseph “Joe” Kingsbery Craig, and Paul Kendall Craig, who have now taken over the ownership and leadership as the 4th generation of family leads this civil works powerhouse into the future. This 67-year continuing legacy was a great source of pride for Charlie.

Charlie regularly attended church and Sunday school at Spring Branch Presbyterian Church where he was a member for 67 years. He served the church as Deacon and Elder, and was active in various committees. Along with other church members, both adult and youth, he participated in several mission trips to Mexico and South Texas. These groups worked on a variety of projects, including the construction of schools and repairing homes. Charlie’s favorite project was building personal energy transport carts. Charlie’s love of children led to his active and dedicated support for the Spring Branch Presbyterian Academy.

Charlie had a passionate, life-long desire to acquire knowledge, explore new ideas and places, and meet people. His hobbies and interests were broad, centering around technology, engineering, history, and the outdoors. Transportation vehicles especially fascinated him – trains, planes, ships, subways, cars, ferryboats, and mopeds. He loved Corvairs and the fellowship of the Houston Corvair Club. He thoroughly enjoyed road trips across the U.S. with his family, European and Central American adventures with his daughter Lindsey, and a spiritual journey to Israel and Jordan with his church group. He loved museums and historical sites; attended Aggie & Longhorn football games; avidly hunted deer, quail, and dove; and enjoyed concerts with the Houston Symphony. He and Joanne built a vacation home at the beach near Surfside, where they enjoyed bird watching, beach combing, ship watching, and sitting on the front porch swing.

Charlie waved and smiled at little children wherever he traveled. He loved his pet animals – dogs and cats. Most of all, he loved people. His smile was immediate, big, and sincere. Whenever he could help people, he was at his happiest.

Charlie was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Joanne Kingsbery Craig in 2006; by his sisters and brothers-in-law, Ann (Craig) and Dr. John F. Bloomquist, and Agnes “Aggie” (Craig) and Jerry M. Smith; and by his nephew Carl Bloomquist.

Charlie is survived by his daughters Kay and Lindsey; son Sam and wife Gail; son Randy and wife Cathy; grandchildren Kelley (Craig) and husband Todd Hagood, Joe Craig and wife Rebecca, Paul Craig, Charles Craig, and Henry Craig and fiancée Rebecca Feldman; great-grandchildren Annabelle, Emery, and Lucy Hagood, and Cody and Ryan Craig; nieces Carol (Bloomquist) and husband Steve Shelton, Karen (Bloomquist) and husband Tony Brooks, and Ann (Smith) and husband Jedd Gulledge.

A private committal service was held on May 28, 2026, at Garden of Memories Cemetery in El Campo, Texas and was conducted by Pastor Mark Plunkett.

A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Spring Branch Presbyterian Church, 1215 Campbell Road, Houston, Texas 77055 (713-464-7659), with reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Charlie’s memory to Spring Branch Presbyterian Church (www.springbranchpres.org), or Special Pals Animal Shelter (www.specialpals.org), 3830 Greenhouse Road, Houston, Texas 77084.

The Craig Family extends its sincere gratitude to Charlie’s caregivers – Betty, Alpearl, Alara, and Lisa – and to the staff at Heart to Heart Hospice - for their kindness and loving care.

For more information, please go to this link: www.wheelerfuneralhome.net/obituaries/charlie-craig