CRAFT, Delbert Eugene (Gene)

Arizona Silver Belt, Globe, AZ Wednesday, Jul 21st, 2010 Delbert Eugene "Gene" Craft, age 90, of Claypool passed away July 16, 2010. He was born in Chester, West Virginia, on Dec. 2, 1919, the son of Delbert Eli Craft and Hattie Hood Craft. At the age of 15, he quit school in order to work at the Weirton Steel Company in Weirton, West Virginia where he soon became an apprentice welder. He married Margaret (Bobby) Johnson in 1936. They had two children Carl Craft and Karen Craft Noppenberg and moved to Claypool, Arizona in 1946. During the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he was hired by the U.S. Navy as a welder to assist in raising the sunken ships. He was a boiler-maker and welder for 34 years at Pinto Valley, Castle Dome, and Copper Cities and later became Foreman. He was active in the apprenticeship program and retired in 1983. He was a member of Central Heights Baptist Church, a volunteer fireman for Lower Miami Fire Department, and was a member of the Gila County Rescue Squad for 20 years. He enjoyed building and racing jalopies, camping, traveling the country, the Diamondbacks, and playing marbles (Aggravation). He was devoted to his Lord, his family and his friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, father, seven siblings and Bobby, his wife of 48 years. He is survived by Beth Eisele Craft, his wife of 12 years from Dudleyville, Arizona; two children, Carl (Judy) Craft of Grayling, Michigan and Karen Noppenberg of Claypool, Arizona; six grandchildren, Christine, Richard, Michelle, Michael, Renee and Bill; six great grandchildren, Shelby, Estee, Lucas, Alex, Stephanie and Andy; and one great-great grandchild, Hailey. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at the Central Heights Baptist Church in Central Heights, Arizona. Interment with Military Honors will be at Globe Cemetery, Hackney Avenue in Globe. In lieu of flowers, memorials suggested to the Central Heights Baptist Church, In Memory of Charles Dodd or Building Fund, PO Box 2908, Globe, AZ, 85501-2908, or call 928-425-5303. Funeral arrangements for Gene Craft were entrusted to Miles Funeral Services Miami.