Thomas "Tommy" Craft Jr.

Thomas “Tommy” Craft, Jr., 54, born in and lifelong resident of Jonesboro, passed from this life on Monday, August 26, 2019 at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House. Tommy followed his parents into the Catholic Church at Easter, 2014.  In fact, to be absolutely certain that this was his spiritual calling, he insisted on going through the RCIA program, the year-long catechism program for adults, two successive years in a row before he felt that he was sure that he was called into the Catholic Church. Thus, he became a member of the Blessed Sacrament Church.

Tommy had a degree in architectural drafting from South Arkansas Community College, 1991.  Completed the prelaw program, Arkansas State University Mountain Home, 2008.

Tommy was an avid outdoorsman, and adept hunter and trout fisherman, and is remembered fondly by his many deer camp and fishing club friends from all over Arkansas. Tommy is remembered by his family and his friends as a loving son, brother, uncle, a dedicated sportsman and outdoorsman and a devoted, generous and selfless friend.  Indeed, he maintained to the last devoted friendships with his neighbors and school classmates from earliest childhood through college and into middle age. Tommy was preceded in death by his father, Thomas H. Craft, Sr.

Survivors include his mother, Gerry Ann Burton and Jim Burton (stepfather) of Jonesboro; Sisters, Amy C. Hobbs (Christopher) of Lithia, Florida; Wyvetta Smith (Wendell) of Jonesboro; nephews,  Tyler Burton Hobbs and Connor Matthews Hobbs of Lithia, Florida; aunts and uncles, William (Bill) and Louise Craft; Carolyn Robb, all of West Memphis, Arkansas, Joe and Deborah Burton of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM, Thursday, August 29, 2019 at the Blessed Sacrament Church with Father Alphonse Gollapalli officiating and Emerson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.  Honorary Pallbearers are Tommy’s beloved fellow members of the National Big Bag Sportsmen’s Association. A special remembrance is Meervat Wahba, M.D., Memphis, Tommy’s dedicated neurologist of many years. Burial will be private and there will be no public visitation.

For lasting memorials and in lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to Blessed Sacrament Building Fund, 1101 E. Highland, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401; Jonesboro Humane Society, 6111 Highland Drive, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401; or the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House, 1148 E. Matthews, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401;   or the Mayo Clinic, Department of Development, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905. To sign an online registry, go to emersonfuneralhome.com.