Judge T. Craig

Services for retired Smith County Judge Larry T. Craig, 71, of Tyler will be held on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 1:00 PM at Marvin United Methodist Church with Dr. John Robbins officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler, Texas under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Judge Craig passed away on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. He was born on July 20, 1936 in Ft. Sumner, New Mexico to the late Jess Thomas and Samintha Beaver Craig. The family moved to Tyler in the summer of 1949 and he attended the Tyler Public Schools, graduating from Tyler High School and Tyler Junior College. He served his country in the United States Naval Reserve and was honorably discharged in 1963. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and went on to earn a B.S. degree in Pharmacy from the University of Houston. He spent 25 years working in retail pharmacy, ten of those years as owner and operator of Craig Pharmacy. Judge Craig continued his education, graduating from the Reserve Law Enforcement Academy at Tyler Junior College and the Police Academy at Kilgore College, where he was licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Education and Standards. His continuing education included courses in criminal investigation, dispute resolution and legal and judicial training. In 1976, he assisted Sheriff J.B. Smith in organizing an active Sheriff's Reserve program, which was twice recognized by the Reserve Law Officers Association of America for outstanding organization and service. In March of 1972, he married Barbara Jean Copeland and they enjoyed raising a family of five children together. Barbara preceded him in death in 2005. Judge Craig was elected County Judge of Smith County in 1986 and re-elected in 1990, 1994 and 1998. He served the first four-term (16 years of service) in county history. He was appointed by then Governor George W. Bush to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. In 1995, he was designated Chairman by Governor Bush, serving for five years, the longest serving Chair of this Agency in its history. Judge Craig was one of three finalists called to Washington and nominated for U.S. Marshall for the Eastern District of Texas. He was currently employed by the architectural firm of Wiginton, Hooker and Jeffery. Judge Craig was a member of the Board of Directors for the Tyler Economic Development Council, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, Heart of Tyler/Main Street Advisory Board, East Texas State Fair, and the Leadership Tyler Steering Committee. He was a past board member for the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, the Smith County Peace Officers Association, and the East Texas Council of Governments where he served as past chairman of the JTPA Program. He was a Mason and a member of the Sharon Shrine Temple. He was a member of the Fugitives Shriners Band. He was an active member of Marvin United Methodist Church in Tyler, serving on the Board of Trustees, and was a member of the seeker's Sunday School Class. Judge Craig was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Craig and sister, Mary Beth O'Neal. He is survived by a loving family including a daughter, Toni Halbroooks and husband Gary of Tyler; and four sons, Claude Holley and wife Terry of Corpus Christi, Jim Holley of Tyler, Kenneth Holley and wife Judy of Tyler, and Bill Holley and wife Lydia of Frankston; grandchildren, Chris Holley, Franklin Holley, Rebecca Holley, Craig Halbrooks, Carter Halbrooks, Carrie Halbrooks, Cameron Holley, Lindsey Holley, Whitney Holley, Melissa Holley, Savannah Funkenbush, Barry Reece, and Susan Dees; great-grandchildren, Rayleigh Holley, Jada Funkenbush, Andrew Medlin and Katie Dees; sister, Janie Meigs and husband Bobby of Houston; brothers-in-law, Charles O'Neal of Wichita Falls and Dr. Kenneth C. Copeland and wife Lucia of Edmond, Oklahoma; numerous nieces and nephews, and a very close and dear friend, Nancy Grant. Pallbearers will be Joe Clayton, Walter Johnson, Rondall Jones, J.B. Smith, Joe Daniels, Bobby Gorman, A.D. Clark, and Bill McGinnis. Honorary pallbearers are members of the Smith County Sheriff's Department, Smith County Employees, the Wednesday Evening Bible Study Group, and Red Little. Visitation is scheduled for Monday, April 14, 2008 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, Tyler, Texas. Memorials in honor of Judge Larry Craig may be made to the Salvation Army, 633 North Broadway, Tyler, Texas 75702 or to Marvin United Methodist Church, 300 W. Erwin Street, Tyler, Texas 75702.