| Location | Hawaii |
| Age | 68 years |
| Cause of Death | Heart Attack |
| Date of Birth | 28/01/1941 |
| Date of Death | 03/12/2009 |
| Visitors | 928 since 08/12/2009 |
| Creator |
Richard (Dick) Craven, 68, of American Samoa, former resident of Stillwater, Minn. & Pengilly, Minn., died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 in Hawaii. He was born on January 28, 1941, in Grand Rapids, Minn. to Guerdon & Esther Craven.
A visitation will be held at 12:00 on Dec. 19, with a memorial service at 1:00 at Peterson Funeral Home in Coleraine, Minn. Followed by a "Celebration Of Life" Gathering at 2:00 at the Timber Lake Lodge in Grand Rapids, MN
***CELEBRATION OF LIFE GATHERING LOCATION CHANGE: Will now be held at the Snowmobile Club located in Calumet, MN ***
Dick began his career in the chemical dependency field as an alcoholism counselor at Willmar State Hospital in 1969. He had a green thumb for developing treatment programs for chemically dependent offenders. He served as Director of Team House, in St. Paul from 1972-1976. Team House became the number one resource for treatment of chemically dependent offenders in the State of MN. This was due directly to Dick's leadership and development of a residential program, outpatient, and aftercare programs. In 1976 Dick left to start the Atlantis Treatment Program for chemically dependent inmates of the State Prison in Stillwater MN. Atlantis continues to operate today and is a model nationally for the effective treatment of inmates in a correctional institution. Dick worked for 28 years at Stillwater Prison as a Unit Director. After starting the Atlantis Program Dick became Director of the Minimum Security area, Industry, and the treatment of Sex Offenders. Dick retired from the MN.Corrections Dept in 2004. He celebrated 42 years if continuous sobriety on November 13, 2009. Dick always matched his walk with his talk and left behind a great legacy of service and an example of how to "pass it on" to the man who still suffersd from alcoholism.
Dick enjoyed the adventures life had to offer, (and the stories that came with). He was a loving Son, wonderful Brother, good Dad, proud Grandpa, and loyal Friend.
Dick will be remembered for his practical jokes, and ability to make people laugh. Gone, but never forgotten, he’ll be greatly missed by his family and friends.
He is survived by his special friend, Liz Perri, of American Samoa; his mother, Esther Craven of Pengilly, Minn.; a daughter, Faith Craven of Spring Lake Park, Minn.; a son, Dan (Sherry) Craven of Aurora, Minn.; grandsons, Richard and Jakob, of Aurora, Minn.; sisters, Jean (Jim) Hall of Orr, Minn.; Judy (Bob) Lucca, of Phoenix, AZ; Jeri & Joyce Craven of Pengilly, Minn.; brothers, Charles (Dwan) Craven of Gilbert, Minn.; Steven Craven of Hibbing, Minn; and a host of treasured friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Guerdon; and a son; Richard.
A Rare Man
To The Craven Family;
DIck and I were roommates in Bayport MN and Oakdale MN.
We worked opposite shifts with me on afternoons. We were good close friends for many years. After he retired we lost touch with each other and I found out he passed from a mutual friend.
I think of the times we had with a couple of good lady friends on the Apple River in WI. The nights we sat at Perkins checking out the ladies and listening to his fishing stories.
The long nights at Perkins he would listen to me as I was going thru a nasty divorce, loosing everything I had and even my car. He offered me a room in Bayport and whenhe needed a place to live I returned the favor.
The rest is history and I feel bad we lost contact with each other.
I was not able to attended his celebration of life because of prior family comments. I was there in spirit.
Mrs Craven you did well in raising Dickie, and I know he put you thru hell when he was a teen, Which kid doesn't? Rest assured he help many people in his short life. I think about him often and was sadden to hear of his passing.
Craven children you dad loved you very much and was sad with Rickies death, he took it very hard. May he rest in peace.
Phil Marette
i knew dick from team house back in 75-76...he took a special interest in me...i was a hand ful...maybe i made one of his stories...if so ,,,its an honor...he really gave of his time for me and was my gretest fan for me to go forward in life...he did not care in vain as i am still going forward...it has taken me awhile to do that but i always harken back to the one that was very real back then...there was alot of phonies...but not dick...i have thought about him often as there are others up here that knew him from prison...and worked with him there...i visited him there once...in the late 80s...i wish i had known of the family connections he had here...would have been great to have a cup of coffee with him and talk a while...maybe meet my son...my son plays basketball for eveleth/gilbert4-5grade...i thought i saw a young guy.for mesabi east with the name craven on his jersey...maybe not...you all were lucky to have a father/sibling/son like himwish i would have gotten to know him more as life progressed...well he truly is gone too soon....sincerely...gary kvitek...........................................................................anyone care to talk..744-3158(i live in hutter)
My great and loving Dad
Well tomorrow I say goodbye to my dad. I have said goodbye to him before, but I always knew I would be seeing him again. This is one of the hardest things I have ever done, I am the youngest of his three kids, my brother and I both were like him in many ways. He once told me that he felt bad that he couldn't help his own kid, when he could help so many others. Little did he know he was helping his youngest one more than he knew. He has left me with many good memories and many, many laughs.
I am very grateful that he had the opportunity to spend the time he did with my two sons. They couldn't ask for a better Grandpa.
Thank you Dad. I love and will miss you greatly.
Danny
I would like to thank you all that have came to this site. It shows that he has touched alot of lives.
Craven Family
I just want to say that I am so sorry to hear of your loss. In reading some of the memories written about Dick, I can only say that he is so very lucky to have come from the Craven family.
It did not surprise me to hear of his sense of humor, his passions, and his love of others.
Please know that you are all in my prayers and I feel blessed just being able to say that I know you...
My love in Christ.
Kim
So saddened to hear of Dick's death!! I worked with him at MCF-STW for 15 years. Over those years we shared plenty of "intense" moments but many, many laughs. He was SO darned funny!! A good guy & I will miss him. Your family is in my prayers.
Deepest sympathy, Terrill Florcyk
I WILL NEVER FORGET OUR FUN & LAUGHTER
MY FRIEND WE HAD SUCH WONDERFUL TIMES,FANTASTIC JOKES! AND I NEVER LAUGHED SO HARD IN MY LIFE! NO MATTER WERE YOU WENT OR WHAT YOU DID I KEPT YOU IN MY HEART & MIND DAILY & PRAYED YOU WOULD ALWAYS REMAIN "SAFE" "HAPPY""HEALTHY" & "WHOLE" & I WAKE ON THIS DAY 12/14 & FIND YOU GONE & MY HEART JUST BROKE & I CANT STOP CRYING! IF ONLY THIS WORLD WAS COMPRISED OF ALL PEOPLE LIKE US THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEMS! I KNOW WERE YOU ARE NOW SO MAKE'EM ALL LAUGH! BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WONT BE RESTING! UNTIL WE LAUGH AGAIN TOGETHER! TAKE CARE MY FRIEND! "I WILL ALWAYS KEEP YOU IN MY HEART & SOUL & ON MY MIND" THAT IS WERE YOU HAVE BEEN WHEN OUT OF SIGHT & THATS WERE YOU WILL REMAIN"...LOVE KIT...
Miss You Dickie
I’m 10 years younger than Dick, so I was able to enjoy the full benefit of having him for my big brother. Some of my earliest memories are of him putting me on his shoulders so I could see a parade. I also remember him shoveling off a little space on the lake to teach me how to skate & bringing me down to the skating rink & warming up my skates over the heater before he helped me put them on, & then he would lace them so tight my ankles hurt. I must have been 6 or 7 when my cat was run over (which would have made Dickie 16 or 17). Dick buried him for me & made a makeshift cross for his grave. He sat with me & cried when I read the silly little girl’s note I’d written for my cat. Another time he took me sliding on the golf course hill & someone ran into me -- I remember laying in the snow crying & seeing him frantically running down the hill to come to my rescue. He would dance with me to his Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson & Everly Brother’s records & sometimes I would hear him singing in his bedroom & I would peak in to see him playing his “broom guitar” in front of the mirror, imitating Elvis Presley (hip movements & all). He was a fun, patient & protective big brother.
In the summers & he would spend most of his time waterskiing during the day & hanging out with his friends at night – oh, my gosh, they did some crazy things. Unfortunately for me, he would also do his pranking & crazy things in school & I would cringe on my first day in a class when the teacher would ask if Dick Craven was my brother.
In our adult years we had a couple occasions that brought us closer together – one was my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. Dick & I came up with the idea of a family motor home trip to the Utah parks & we spent hours on the phone planning it. We would call each other every time we’d think of something new. He was so excited to be doing that for our Mom & Dad & with the fact we were able to pull it off. What a special time that was – lots of laughter & memories made!
The other occasion that brought us closer was his recent battle with cancer. I became the person he would make contact with here on the mainland as he went through his surgery in American Samoa & treatment in HI, & then I would pass the information along. This was a bittersweet time – we shared memories & friendly banter that would have us both laughing, but more times than not, I would be choking back tears when we’d hang up. Though those calls were hard, I now treasure every conversation we had & am grateful our last words to each other were, “I love you.” One time he called when Liz was back in American Samoa & he was feeling so sick & very down – I told him I would come and get him, but he didn’t think he could make the flight & assured me he would be ok. Just a few days later, when Liz was back with him, he called again & sounded like a different person – that’s the effect she had on him.
Liz was such a blessing in his life – she brought him so much happiness these last few years & was a loving caregiver to him in the end. Dick loved his “Lizzie” & when he brought her to MN last summer to meet the family, we knew why, & we fell in love with her too.
My heart aches at the thought that I will never get to see my big brother again, but I’m thankful for the love & laughter he brought to my life, & I have special memories of him that I will cherish forever.
Judy
BIG BROTHER
Dickie as we so fondly remember him will be deeply missed by his twin sisters. I remember the times that mom would call him at the prison and ask for "Dickie". He'd say "Mom when you call ask for Richard" of course mom never remembered and I'm sure he got razzed but I don't think he minded "Dickie"
When we got the news on Thursday we cried many tears and we continue to shed those tears daily, but we can also laugh at all the good times we shared as well. We think back on the trip all of us kids took out west with mom and dad for their 50th anniversary.
For us we will truly treasure the past two summers that Dickie spent at home. As the babies of the family Dickie had already left home when we were born and became a dad 3 months after we were born. So these past two summers we were able to sit by the fire and listen to Dick tell his stories and the stories he could tell (no wonder dad had white hair). We laughed so hard at the things he had done and than to hear the practical jokes he had played. I swear as soon as April Fools day passed he was thinking of the next year!
In 2008 he came home for Pengilly Days and what a fantastic time we had with him. He was so extremely happy and the whole family was able to spend time with him. We went to the street dance and got a good chuckle out of Dickie and his dancing skills:-) From there we went back home to the fire and the great nieces and nephews got to hear his story telling. We shared so much laughter and memories I will cherish those forever!!!!
In 2009 he came home and we were able to finally meet the person responsible for his happiness, his Lizzie. We had a wonderful time and the family so enjoyed the new memories that were created. Just before he left he was complaining about a sore throat and we were worried than but hopeful that that was all it was. It turned out not to be. We had many calls where we would all be crying but we always told each other that we loved them. The family was so lucky that Dickie had his Lizzie with him, we would say we wished he was home and he would always say he had Liz and she was taking great care of him.
He said he would be home next summer to see mom but sadly that will never be. He has left a great void in our lives but we have some wonderful memories. He will be deeply missed by his sisters.
Jeri and Joyce
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