Archibald Craft Obituary

Archibald Charles Craft, Jr. MANNING, SC - Archibald Charles Craft, Jr., 87, widower of Jane Wyche Craft, died Friday, April 26, 2013, at the Lowman Home in Chapin. Born January 5, 1926, in Wilmington, NC, he was the son of the late Archibald Charles Craft and the late Annie Shepard Craft. He was a WWII U.S. Navy Veteran. After graduating from N.C. State with a BS degree in Forestry, he worked as a forest firefighter in California. Returning to the Carolinas, he worked for Westvaco for 33 years where he developed and was superintendent of Westvaco's Charleston Cooperative Forestry Management program for 21 years. He served as the chairman of the South Carolina Tree Farm Committee and was chairman of the Clarendon County Forestry Board. He served as an industry representative on the national committee of the National Association of Conservation Districts. He was on the Forestry Industry Committee of the Southern Pulpwood Conservation Association. Upon his retirement, he followed his passion for sailing. He and first mate Jane cruised the Eastern Seaboard from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway to the Bahamas and Caribbean Islands on their sailboat Someday, making many lifelong friends. Mr. Craft was a member of the Manning United Methodist Church, serving as a Sunday School teacher and superintendent of Sunday School. He served on the Administration Board, Board of Trustees and was Chairman of the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee. He was formerly president of the Manning Lions Club and later a member of the Manning Rotary Club. He is survived by a son, Archibald Charles Craft III (Manita) of Chapin; a daughter, Martha Charles Craft-Essig (Mark) of Johns Island; two grandsons, Lawrence Craft of San Francisco, CA and A.C. Craft of Washington, D.C. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 3, 2013, at Manning United Methodist Church with Rev. David Marcy officiating. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday evening at Stephens Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Manning United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 68, Manning 29102. Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church St., Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston