Isabelle M. Craig, age 82, of Hesperia, passed away on Thursday, December 7, 2015 at Spectrum Health Rehab – Nursing. She was born April 13, 1933 to Doris and Carl Worth in Newberry, MI. She grew up on Brevort Lake and in her father’s trading post as a child into adulthood. She attended high school in St. Ignace, MI and went to Alma College earning a bachelor’s degree in home economics and English. 

Isabelle married David Craig of Indiana in 1955 and taught in Moran and Rudyard early in her career. Isabelle left the Upper Peninsula and taught in the Lower Peninsula and Florida before landing in Texas where she finished her teaching career in Danbury as a home economics teacher. For almost her entire career, Isabelle not only taught her own children but hundreds of other junior high and high school students. She volunteered hundreds of hours to the American Legion in honor of her father’s service in WWI and her son’s service in the Marine Corp.

Let me tell you a little story about the kind of person Isabelle was…when she first moved to Texas she became the Junior Class sponsor for Danbury High School. Why the Junior Class sponsor and not starting with a freshman class? Well you see as the home economics teacher, Isabelle volunteered her time, effort and funds to help with almost every concession stand and other fund raisers to assist with the Junior Class and their financial responsibilities of putting on the junior/senior prom. In addition, she aided the junior class in putting together each unique prom for 11 years because for 11 of her 13 years in Danbury she would remain the Junior Class sponsor. It was an incredible amount of hard work and dedication. She truly embraced and enjoyed being a teacher and mentor for over 30 years.

Over her entire life she enjoyed going to the casino especially with family. During her later years the Cowboy machine was her favorite and she enjoyed it most when surrounded by family. In fact, one of her biggest wishes was to see all the cowboys light up the screen. She achieved that goal this past summer.

Surviving is her daughters, Doris Delight Craig of Las Vegas, NV, and Carla Caye Craig of Bennett, CO; son, David Worth (Tracey) Craig of Hesperia; grandson, Justin Craig; great grandson, Logan Craig both of New Era; grandson, Carl Booth of Denver, CO; granddaughter, Sunny Shavalier of Hesperia; and grandson, Mac McPherson of Las Vegas, NV.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you thank a teacher as each one has a unique opportunity to help shape our country’s future or if you’re in a betting mood find a cowboy machine and play it in her honor! Her ashes will be spread in a private ceremony.

Honoring her wishes, cremation will take place and there will be no formal services. Arrangements are entrusted to Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care, Grand Rapids.