Mary Lou Craig

Mary Lou Craig Mary Lou Holliday Craig blessedly entered into her eternal rest on September 19, 2009. She passed away at the Clairmont in Longview, Texas, at the age of 88. Funeral services, under the direction of Rader Funeral Home, will be Tuesday, September 22, in the chapel at Rader's with the Reverend John Taylor officiating. Visitation will be Monday, September 21, from 6-8 PM. Burial will be in the Hallsville Cemetery. Mary Lou was born on February 24, 1921, to Lon and Carrie Lou Holliday. She attended school in Jefferson and Hallsville. She married Dallas Craig on April 13 , 1940, in Marshall, Texas. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Hallsville. She worked at Archway Cookie Company, Thikol Ammunitions, and then retired from STEMCO after a number of years. Mary Lou believed in God, hard work, and family. She was a devoted wife and mother. She was happiest when her home was filled with her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was an excellent cook, famous with the grand and great-grand children for the fabulous brownies she constantly baked for them. She often commented that she had the best-looking and smartest grandchildren in the world. Once she had great-grandchildren, she proclaimed them to be even better-looking and smarter than the grandchildren. Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents; brothers A.V. Holiday and Jake Holliday; sisters Virginia Smith, Sarah Anderson, Ann Swiney, and Faye Welch. She is survived by one brother, Leon Holliday, of Carthage, Texas. She is also survived by Dallas Craig, her husband of 69 years, son and daughter-in-law Roy Wayne and Neta Craig of Hallsville, Texas; granddaughters and their husbands Sherry and Phillip Moore of Minneola, Texas, Lori and Patrick Casale of Las Vegas, Nevada, Lisa and Keith McKnight of Timpson, Texas, Jill and Skip Buchanan of Hallsville, Texas, and Wendy and Mark Mixon of Hallsville, Texas; great-grandchildren Maghan and Logan McClung, Judd and Miranda Moore, Dalton and Brooke Buchanan, Raney, Landon, and Kylee Mixon, Slade and Trace McKnight; and a number of nieces and nephews. Pall bearers escorting her to her final resting place will be great-grandsons Logan McClung, Dalton Buchanan, Judd Moore, Slade McKnight and nephews Audie Holiday, Ronnie Welch, and Frank Craig. The family would like to thank the Clairmont and Southern Care Hospice for the excellent and compassionate care they gave our loved one.

Mary Lou Craig

September 20, 2009 - September 20, 2009