Mr. Ben Craycraft

Funeral services for Mr. Ben Craycraft, 91, of Mt. Enterprise, will be at 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 29, 2014 at Crawford-A. Crim Funeral Home chapel with Buddy Bankhead and James Henderson officiating. Interment will follow at King Cemetery under the direction of Crawford-A. Crim Funeral Home of Henderson. Visitation will be held one hour before the service, Monday, December 29 at the funeral home. Mr. Craycraft passed away peacefully Friday, December 26, 2014 at Hospice of East Texas in Tyler. He was born May 14, 1923 in Mt. Enterprise to the late J.S. and Bettie Mae Craycraft, and was a life-long resident of Mt. Enterprise and Rusk County, and attended school in the Mt. Enterprise ISD. He met and married the love of his life, Martha Geneva Gibson, from Groveton, Texas in 1948. Ben began his career as an auctioneer before becoming a partner in two livestock auctions. In his spare time he enjoyed family, friends, hunting and fishing, gardening, and raising cattle. He often quipped that what he did for a living and what he did for fun were the same things. Ben met people easily in both business and social settings. Regardless of the situation, he prided himself in being the same person each and every day of his life, and was known for his quick wit. He valued being a man of his word, and to him, a handshake was as official as a formal contract. He attended and was a member of the Mt. Enterprise Church of Christ his entire life. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, William 'Bill' Craycraft, Sam Craycraft, and R.H. 'Biggin' Craycraft; and two sisters, Katherine McDonald and Mary Dodd. Survivors include: his wife of 66 1/2 years, Geneva Gibson Craycraft; three children, Kenneth Craycraft and wife Sally of Frisco, Deidra Craycraft Rivers and husband Barry of Mt. Enterprise, and Benita Craycraft Tabch and husband Mounir of Mt. Enterprise; four grandchildren, Chris Rivers, Bettie Rivers Lee, Chad Craycraft, and Joumana Tabch; three great-grandchildren, Hadyn Rivers, Sofia Cabrera, and Cade Rivers; and special friends, Carolyn McAlister, Paula Hayes, and Carmen Leadon. Pallbearers are Ray Craycraft, Paul Craycraft, David Jarvis, Chris Rivers, Chad Craycraft, and Brad Lee. Honorary pallbearers are Charlie Schwartz, John Langston, Mike Jackson, Clyde Hudman, and Kyle Freeman. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Tx, 75701. Condolences may be made online at www.crawfordacrim.com.

Mr. Ben Craycraft

May 14, 1923 - December 26, 2014