Jacqueline Craig

Jacqueline Jackie Lee Craig, 88, of Great Falls, passed away Wednesday, May 3, 2017.Visitation will be Friday, May 12, 2017 from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. at Schnider Funeral Home. A graveside service will be Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at Sun River Cemetery, in Sun River followed by the memorial service at 2:30 p.m. at Ulm Bible Church in Ulm. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Jacqueline Lee Craig was born January 1, 1929 in Great Falls, Montana to Warren and Lola Miles. She was raised on the Fairfield Bench where her family grew potatoes that were cultivated by horse and plow. One of the best days for the family was when they got indoor plumbing. Jackie learned to cook by watching her mother who taught her to plan enough for friends and neighbors who often stopped by to visit. Her love of piano started young. She took piano lessons which cost her family $.50 a lesson.Jackie attended the Crowe School 1-1/2 miles away from her house and graduated from Fairfield High School. She then studied at Northern Montana College in Havre for a year and then found a job as a typist in Great Falls. She met Donald Craig in 1947 at the Teton River during a picnic with her family. They courted by driving to Fort Shaw to get the Sunday paper. Don also flew to see her from Bozeman, where he was a charter member of the Flying Bobcats. They were married in 1948 and moved a small house from Carter to Don's family farm. They soon had a son, Tom and daughters Donna and Carolyn and added on to the house as children arrived. Jackie reminisced that raising her children were the best days of her life. Don and Jackie worked hard farming, and were active in their church in Fort Benton. They lived on the farm for 61 years and moved to Great Falls as Don's health declined.Jackie had a great love for birds, squirrels, bunnies, cats and teddy bears. She had a tender heart and spent time and energy caring for those creatures. She also loved playing piano and enjoyed sharing her talent with others in the church, at various nursing homes, and at the Great Falls Rescue Mission. She was devoted to her Savior and lived her life in relationship with Him. Her favorite color was pink and she would write verses in pink ink on pink paper and put them up around her house.Jackie's sweet spirit will be sorely missed by her many friends and family. She is survived by her son, Tom (Pam) Craig of Deer Park; daughters Donna (Kerry) Upham of Loma and Carolyn Olson of Great Falls; sister Lola (Chuck) Beierle of Great Falls; five grandchildren, Dianna (Nathan) Keane of Loma, Gillian (Daniel) Bruni of New Orleans, Sherri (Nick) Marudas of Billings, Adam (Sheena) Olson of Fort Benton, and Kristy (Tim) Miller of Seattle; eight great-grandchildren with one on the way; and many nieces and nephews who were precious to her.