Grant Craig

Grantland Albert Craig, aged 93, passed away on September 13th, 2026. He died in peace and comfort at his home in the loving care of his family and with the support of Unity Hospice. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Barbara, his daughter Paula, his sister Muriel, and his parents Albert and Ann Craig. He is father to Brian (Francine), Jeffrey (Dominique), Alan, Jill (Mark) Willette, Paula Craig, and Leane (Steve) Tyska. He is grandfather to Colin, Avery, Frances, Sylvia, and Esmé, and great grandfather to Rosko.

Grant was born in Chicago on January 19, 1933. He attended St. Genevieve Catholic School and DePaul Academy High School. Grant was president of the Math Club and served on the Board of Directors for the Science Club. He was on the DePaul Swim team, softball team, and played water polo throughout high school. He graduated from DePaul Academy in 1951 with high honors and a full academic scholarship to Northwestern University. Grant participated in Northwestern’s co-op program, alternating between academic study and full-time paid employment. He graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in mechanical engineering in 1956. Grant received a full tuition scholarship to attend Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business and received a Master of Business Administration in finance and business in 1957.

Grant met his wife Barbara Ann Lea in 1953 through his sister Muriel. Muriel and Barbara were roommates at St. Joseph School of Nursing in Chicago, and when Grant met Barbara it was love at first sight. Grant and Barb married three years later on June 23, 1956. Grant was a devoted provider and father throughout his life to their six children.

They moved to Appleton, WI in 1960 where Grant started work at R. Sabee Company in the paper converting industry. In 1961, Grant and Barb moved to Green Bay, WI where Grant began work at Paper Converting Machine Company. Grant had a distinguished career at Paper Converting where he was sales manager, traveling extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He held six engineering patents at Paper Converting in his name.

Grant had many hobbies and interests—including bridge, golf, handball, tennis, square dancing, oil painting, and reading—but his ultimate love was fly fishing. Grant began fishing with his dad Albert (who had the nickname “Muskie-Al”) during annual fishing trips to northern Wisconsin. Grant continued the tradition with his own children on summer vacations to Carter, Armstrong, and Pickerel lakes before buying a family cottage in 1977 on Chute Pond in Mountain, Wi. Grant enjoyed the art of tying flies for trout fishing and became an avid fly fisher on rivers and streams in Wisconsin, Montana and Wyoming. He and Barb also included fishing adventures on their trips to Florida, Arizona, Alaska, Bahamas and New Zealand. Grant’s children inherited his love for the Wisconsin outdoors. His son Jeffrey took him on many fishing outings in his later years to trout streams in southwestern Wisconsin.

Grant retired at age 60 to spend more time doing the things he loved. Grant and Barb enjoyed traveling and they had many wonderful trips together including Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, Holland, England, Ireland, Germany, Norway, Spain, Italy and Greece. They especially enjoyed taking a Danube River cruise through Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria.

Grant believed in the virtues of education and hard work and lived his life to the fullest following his ideals. He was a strong and guiding force in the lives of his children and grandchildren and he will be greatly missed. The Craig family is grateful to St. Mary’s and St. Vincent Hospital, and especially to Unity Hospice for their kind, loving and compassionate care. A special thank you goes to Tara of Unity Hospice who cared for both Barbara and Grant during their passing which was a great comfort. The Craig family is forever grateful to Grant's son, Alan, who took wonderful care of him (and mom Barbara) throughout his last years. Grant spent his final years comfortably at home, gazing out at the surrounding nature and his backyard pond.

Grant’s shared this quote in a letter to his family some years ago from his favorite fishing author, John Gierach: 

“I think I fish, in part, because it's an antisocial bohemian business,that when gone about properly, puts you forever outside the mainstreamculture without actually landing you in an institution. Flyfishing can be expensive and time consuming. It induces fits of solitary contemplation, requires travel, and since most fish caught are released, it seems like a strangely beautiful but otherwise pointless thing to do: sort of like art.”

A private memorial service will be held for the family. Please consider making a donation in Grant Craig’s name to Trout Unlimited of Wisconsin https://wicouncil.tu.org/donate/.