Mary Myett Craft

Mary Myett Craft was born on November 27, 1933 in Centerville, Kansas to Paul Beal Showalter and Erma Criss Showalter, and died on January 2, 2021 at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice in Jonesboro, AR.  On February 4, 1950, she married Jerry Boyce Craft with whom she had three sons, Kelly Jan Craft, Jerry Rohn Craft, and Andre Kevin Craft, before their divorce on April 1, 1984. Mary was a graduate of the Melton School of Business and a member of the Altrusa Club. Mary and her friend, Jane Powell Orndorf, were the first women in its 98 year history to become members of the Jonesboro Elks Lodge No. 498. Mary worked as a bookkeeper for the various Craft businesses, as well as for St. Bernard’s Hospital. She sold real estate for John White Real Estate Company, and later managed her own real estate firm, Madison Management Company.  Mary was creative and loved to be around people. She was an avid bowler for many years, and was known for her skill in painting porcelain dinnerware and with oil paints on canvas. She had a deep appreciation for wild creatures, especially wolves and cardinals. Mary loved her dog, Lucy.

Mary was preceded in death by her mother, Erma (1909-1934), her grandmother, Eva Criss Dickinson (1889-1978), and her father, Paul (1899 - 1986) and her second mother, Lucille Tooley Showalter. Other deaths in her family include her nephews, David Hawley and Brent Gibson, and a great nephew, Benjamin Wilson; her uncle and aunt, Hubert and Norma Criss, and her cousin, Steven Criss and the father of her children, Jerry B. Craft passed away on July 7, 2015.

Mary is survived by her three sons and their wives, Kelly & Elizabeth, Rohn & Jean Marie, and Andy & Brenda; by her seven grandchildren & spouses, Jocelyn Craft-Mathis & Joel Mathis, Rebecca & John Phillians; Drew & Rebekah Craft, Jesse & Dawn Craft; Kevin & Mikcca Craft, Andrea Leigh & Nathan Read, and Abby Craft; by her great-grandchildren Tobias Craft-Mathis; Cora and Sutton Craft, Boston and Finn Craft; Lillie and Lucie Craft, Boyce and Victoria Read; by her sister, Geri Hawley, by her nieces, Christine Hawley Stebbins and Paula Hawley Commodore (Tim), by her great niece, Jennifer Commodore and great nephews, Andy and Charlie Stebbins, Robert Commodore; by her cousins Mike Criss and his wife Katharine Pearson Criss, Carol Criss-Allen & her daughter, Carin Darden, and by Steven Criss’ sons Scott and John Criss; and by a host of friends and extended family.

Graveside service will be Monday, January 4, 2021 at 2:00 PM at Trinity Cemetery with Bro. Richard Akins and Bro. Tony Sauser officiating. Pallbearers are Jesse Craft, Drew Craft, Kevin Craft, Nathan Read, Rohn Craft, Kelly Craft Andy Craft and Bill Craft. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Walker, David Walker, Joel Mathis and John Phillians.

For lasting memorials the family asks that consideration be given to the Children’s Home, 5515 Walcott Road, Paragould, AR 72450 or the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House, 400 East Street, Jonesboro, AR 72401.