Published: May 20, 2011

A celebration of life for Charles Edward Craig, Sr. age 69 of Cookeville will be held on May 28, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at the Cookeville First Presbyterian Church, 20 North Dixie Avenue, Cookeville, Tennessee.

The family will receive friends on Saturday at the church from 10:00-11:00 A.M.

Charles was born July 8, 1941 in Fayetteville, Arkansas to the late Edward Harlan Craig and Elizabeth Copeman Craig.

His family includes his wife of nearly 48 years, Jessa Kay (Barnett) Craig, whom he married on August 30, 1963 in Bentonville, Arkansas; two sons and daughters-in-law: Charles Edward "Chuck" Craig, Jr. and Renee Craig of Cookeville and Kenneth Winston "Ken" Craig and Lisa Craig of Sparta, Tennessee; one sister and brother-in-law Brenda and Russel Jacobe of Houston, Texas. Charles adored his five grandcildren, Jonathan and Lauren Craig of Sparta, and Josh, Jeremy and Rebekah Craig of Cookeville. Charles also has one niece, three nephews, six great-nieces, and one great nephew.

Honorary pallbearers will be Harold Howell, Mike Medley, Robert Watson, Ronald Ledbetter, Burl Smith, and Gary Cox.

Rev. Pat Handlson will officiate at the services.

Charles graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1966 with an accounting degree and during his early employment became a pioneer in the computer industry. he was a senior systems analyst for British Petroleum and set up their computer department in Anchorage, Alaska in preparation for the oil pipeline in the middle 1970's. He was an expert in IBM as 400, 34, 36, and 38 computer systems. His knowledge base enabled him to start his own company which was Craig Consulting.

His love of fly fishing, English trials motorcycles and restoring antique tractors and motorcycles were of great interest to him. he was an active member of the Middle Tennessee Tractor Club, the Upper Cumberland Civil War Roundtable and the Gideons's International. Charles had a great love of the Bible and a strong christian testimony. he was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Cookeville.