Tom Craft

Thomas L. “Tom” Craft III, 67, of Wilson, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at ECU Health, Greenville. 

Funeral service will be held Sunday, July 2nd, 3:00 PM, at First Baptist Church, 311 Nash St N, Wilson, followed by visitation in the church fellowship hall.  Interment will be on Monday, 2:00 PM, at Evergreen Memorial Park.

He was born in Pitt County, December 10, 1955 to the late Nora Lee and Thomas L. Craft, Jr.

Tom graduated from Ayden-Grifton High School in 1974.  He was an Eagle Scout and an All-American Athlete in both baseball and football.  He earned a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from UNC Chapel Hill in 1978 followed by a Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy in 1984. In his pharmacy career, he worked at Merck Pharmaceuticals for 20 years and retired July 31, 2022 from Food Lion Pharmacy in LaGrange after 15 years.  Tom was a member of First Baptist Church for 39 years where he served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and on various other committees.

He was an avid sports fan, he especially loved his Carolina Tarheels.  He enjoyed golf, pickleball, the YMCA gym, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and working in the yard and his garden.  Most of all, he loved and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Tom was a beloved husband, father, “Bandaddy”, brother, uncle and friend.

Surviving is his wife of almost 37 years, Billie Webb Craft; daughter, Ashley Craft Rhodes (Dusty) of Swansboro; son, William Thomas Craft (Julie) of Wendell; grandson, Wilson Thomas; brother, Ned Craft (B.J.) of Emerald Isle; sisters-in-law, Debbie Wheeler of Wilson and George Ann Winstead (Mark) of Kenly; niece, Markie Winstead of Wilson; nephew, Alex Winstead (Daisy) of Raleigh; great-nephew, Colton Ferris; great-niece, Keaton Tyner and many life-long friends.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Andrew Wheeler.

Memorials are suggested to First Baptist Church, Boys Scouts, PO Box 1467, Wilson, NC 27894.

Arrangements by Wilson Memorial Service, 2811 Fieldstream Dr. N, Wilson, 237-7171; www.wilsonmemorialservice.com