Jerry Craft

Jerry Boyce Craft, 86, of Jonesboro, passed away Tuesday, July 7, 2015, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro.

Jerry was born in Bono and moved to Jonesboro in 1964. He was a member of Valley View Church of Christ and had philanthropic relationships with Freed-Hardeman University and Harding University.

Jerry was an entrepreneur and founded several successful enterprises. He began his business life as a share cropper later purchasing Craft Mercantile in Bono. Over the years he added a soybean elevator and in 1954 began Craft L. P. Gas, now Craft Propane. His business interests expanded during the 1960's and as a private pilot, Jerry took his family with him on his many business trips across the country. His various interests included selling motorboats with Mercury outboard motors, Fedders HVAC systems, building custom homes, selling real estate and life insurance, developed North Hills Golf Course and several subdivisions including Westvale, Oak Hill Terrace, Stratford Heights and Bel-Aire sub-division, with Highland Forest being his last endeavor in real estate development.

Jerry served in leadership positions of several community organizations including Jonesboro Realtors, Jonesboro Rotary, Paragould Children's Home, and Crowley's Ridge College Board of Trustees. He was a founding member and is a lifetime member of Jonesboro Unlimited. He served our state as President of the Arkansas Propane Gas Association and was appointed to the Liquid Petroleum Gas Board.

He was preceded in death by his parents: C.F. "Jack" and Alta Vetrel Dacus Craft; one brother, Kenneth Royce Craft; 2 brothers-in-law: Joe Tolbert and Kenneth Gibson; and 2 nephews: Brent Gibson and Benjamin Wilson.

Survivors include his wife, Lonnie Johnson Harrison Craft of the home;

Three sons: Kelly (Elizabeth) Craft, Rohn (Jean) Craft, and Andy (Brenda) Craft, Mary M. Craft, mother of his three sons, all of Jonesboro;

Four step children, LoNell (Richard) Turner, and Zal Harrison, all of Little Rock, Arthur (Polly) Harrison of Newnan, Ga., and Priscilla (Raymond) Etheredge of Bentonville;

3 sisters: Evalyn Tolbert of Jonesboro, and Jackie (Walter) Sauser and Susie (Joe) Turney, all of Bono;

Seven grandchildren: Jocelyn Craft-Mathis (Joel) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rebecca Lauren Craft, Kevin (Mikcca) Craft, Andrea (Nathan) Read, Abby Craft, Drew (Rebekah) Craft, and Jesse (Dawn) Craft, all of Jonesboro;

Nine great grandchildren: Tobias Michael Craft-Mathis, Cora Craft, Sutton Craft, Boston Craft, Beck Craft, Lillie Craft, Lucie Craft, Boyce Read and Victoria Read;

Four step grandchildren and one step great grandchild.

Funeral services will be Friday at 2:00 p.m. in Emerson Memorial Chapel with Jimmy Adcox and Richard Akins officiating. Burial will follow in Trinity Cemetery.

Active pallbearers include Kevin Craft, Nathan Read, Jesse Craft, Drew Craft, Arthur Harrison and Clarence Woodard. Honorary pallbearers include Robert Cook, Lonnie Allen Thomas, elders and deacons of Valley View Church of Christ and current and past employees of Craft Propane and Craft Property Management.

Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Emerson Funeral Home.

For lasting memorials, the family asks that consideration be given to Paragould Children's Home, 5515 Walcott Rd., Paragould, AR 72450.

Online registry at www.emersonfuneralhome.com.