Cuba – Craig Richard Johnson, of 15 Maple Street, passed
away suddenly Thursday (March 23, 2017). Born Nov. 1, 1947, in Olean, he was
the son of Richard S. Johnson and Joan Schnellmann Johnson. Craig was a 1965
graduate of Portville Central School, a 1970 graduate of Alfred University with
a Ceramic Engineering degree and 1982 graduate of St. Bonaventure University
with a Masters of Business Administration degree.
He served as a sergeant in the United States Army during the
Vietnam War from 1970-72.
He was a combustion and control engineer at North American
Manufacturing of Cleveland Ohio and later a ceramic engineer at APB Air
Preheater of Wellsville where he retired from in October of 2014.
Craig was an avid sports fan, from faithfully watching local
sports at Cuba-Rushford Central School while raising his two sons, to having a
passion for NFL, basketball and baseball, of which he was an avid baseball card
collector. He had a passion for collecting, organizing and profiling historical
family memories.
Craig wanted his life to be remembered by the following
Emily Phillips quote,
“I WAS BORN; I BLINKED; AND IT WAS OVER. NO BUILDINGS NAMED AFTER ME; NO MONUMENTS
ERECTED IN MY HONOR. BUT I DID HAVE THE
CHANCE TO KNOW AND LOVE EACH AND EVERY FRIEND AS WELL AS ALL MY FAMILY MEMBERS. HOW MUCH MORE BLESSED CAN A PERSON BE?”
Surviving are his two sons: Matthew Johnson of Denver,
Colorado and Marc Johnson of Washington, D.C. and two brothers, Kirk S. Johnson
of Cuba and Jim Johnson of Portville and a sister, Deb Johnson of Cuba and
special step-children, Holly Comstock of Denver, Colo. and James Comstock of Wellsville
and one step-grandson, Neil.
The family will receive friends at the Mark F. Rinker
Funeral Home & Memorial Service, Inc., 9 Bull Street, Cuba on Thursday,
March 23, 2017 from 4-6 p.m. at which time a time of sharing will be held.
Memorials suggestions include the Dale McGinnis
Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Cuba-Rushford Central School Business Office,
5476 Rte 305, Cuba New York 14727 or to the Olean Food Pantry (http://oleanfoodpantry.org/donate/); 8
Leo Moss Drive, Olean, NY 14760).
