James Eugene Craft, Sr. (Gene) was born on October 28, 1934 in Hogansville, Georgia to Les and Wilma Craft. He had one older sister, Barbara Carol Craft Piper and one brother, Roger Randall (Randy) Craft. He spent most of his formative years living on the mill village in Thomaston, Georgia, enjoying fishing and wading in the Flint River, and becoming one of the very first Eagle Scouts in Thomaston. He joined the navy at the young age of 17 and spent the next three years of his life serving his country on an aircraft carrier in the Philippine Sea during the Korean War. He returned home for a visit and met a beautiful young lady named Shirley Anne Barfield. Upon returning from the war, he made her his wife. They were married for 63 years and had many adventures and raised two children, Teresa Jeaneane Craft Duke and James Eugene (Jim) Craft, Jr. At 37 years of age, he gave his heart to Christ and shortly afterward felt a call into the ministry, and they packed up most of their belongings and headed to Colorado to attend Nazarene Bible College to prepare for the ministry. He served in the Nazarene church taking several home mission churches and helping to grow them into successful ministries. He retired back to Thomaston where he undertook the task of building his own home. They settled back in, surrounded by family and friends and spent their remaining years in that home. He lost his wife two years ago and has spent the last two years enjoying his family and recently moved in with his daughter Teresa to spend his final days there. He has anxiously been anticipating his final journey to his forever home, yearning to see his Lord and Savior and his loved ones who preceded him in death. He made it home Thursday morning. He is finally where he has longed to be. He will forever be loved and greatly missed by his family, including his grandchildren, Justin Craft, Jordan (Laura) Craft, Trey Duke, Caitlin (Hayden) Richmond, great-grandchildren, Sophie Craft, Corbin Craft, Thea Gray Richmond, brother, Randy (Deborah) Craft, several nieces and nephews and all of his ‘adopted’ family, loved ones and friends. He truly knew how to love.
Memorial services will be held on Sunday, October 22, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. from the Chapel of Coggins Funeral Home. The family will receive friends on Sunday, October 22, 2023, from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Coggins Funeral Home.
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