Donald Earl Craddock

Donald Earl Craddock, 74, of Merritt Island, Fl formerly of Maple Fork, WV passed away peacefully, Monday September 14, 2009. Born in Maple Fork, WV on May 29, 1935 he was the son of the late George and Macil Blake Craddock. He attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley before joining the Air Force in 1954. After bootcamp he was sent to Wethersfield, England where he met and married his wife of 54 years, Rita. Don spent his 20-year military career in communications and a tour of duty in Vietnam. He retired at Patrick Air Force base and then settled in Merritt Island. His love of tinkering with clocks turned his hobby into a career and always kept the family house on its toes at the stroke of midnight. Two sisters, Edith Shaughnessy and Esta Belle Spears preceded him in death. He leaves his wife, Rita Harrington Craddock; three children, Tresia “Terri” Mancera of Merritt Island, David Craddock of Palm Bay, FL and Dale (Susie) Craddock of Durham, NC; four grandsons, Cisco (Emma) Mancera of Orlando, FL, David Craddock of Palm Bay, and Davis and Parker Craddock of Durham, NC; brother, David (Betty) Craddock of Beckley, WV; sister, Ruth Connor of Danville, VA; one brother in-law, Roy Harrington of England; and two sisters in-laws, Joyce (Bernard) Blythe of England and Jean (Jimmy) Matthews of Huntsville, AL; and numerous nieces and nephews. Don was a kind, gentle man who loved his family and enjoyed all kinds of puzzles including jigsaws and his daily cryptograms. "Mr. Fix-it" will be greatly missed by his family and friends. A memorial gathering and service with full military honors will begin at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at Kiwanis Island Park, Merritt Island. His cremains will be interred at Florida National (VA) Cemetery in Bushnell, FL. The Family asks that memorial donations be made to Hospice of Health First at 1900 Dairy Road, Melbourne, FL 32904 Online condolences may be sent at www.tyreefuneralhome.com Information submitted by Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope, WV