Raymond Gail Cracraft, Sr

New Middletown - Raymond Gail Cracraft, Sr., 81, of New Middletown, died Monday, May 5, 2008 at St. Elizabeth Medical Center. Mr. Cracraft was born June 24, 1926 in Edinburg, Pennsylvania, a son of Naaman and Rachel Mayberry Cracraft. A 1944 graduate of Bessemer High School, he worked as a shovel engineer for Carbon Limestone, retiring in 1983 after 39 years. He was a United States World War II Navy Veteran serving during the Pacific Theater aboard the U.S.S Montague. He was a member of the VFW Post 1424 in Marionville, PA and a past member of the American Legion. Mr. Cracraft was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed bird and deer hunting. He was past President of the New Middletown Sportsmanâa�a��s Club. He loved baseball and was an avid Cleveland Indians fan. Mr. Cracraft was also the former business manager for the Hillsville Baseball Team on which he previously played. He will be sadly missed by his wife, the former Barbara Korby, whom he married May 28, 1947; a daughter, Elaine (Steve) Serednesky of Canfield; two sons, Raymond (Janis) Cracraft, Jr. of Poland and Alan (Linda) Cracraft of Jacksonville, FL; one brother, Edwin Cracraft of Hillsville, PA; and four grandchildren, Mark and Lynn Cracraft, Joy Serednesky, and Steven (Jessica Szabo) Serednesky; and one great-grandson, Bruce. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Dorothy Ekis and Irene Robb; and three brothers, Naaman, Francis, and Donald Cracraft. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home, Lowellville with Rev. Russel Shuluga officiating. Interment will follow in Lowellville Cemetery. Friends will be received Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. and Thursday from 10-10:45 a.m. at the funeral home. Please visit www.beckerobits.com to send condolences.

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