Roll Call Tribute

James Craig Fleming
July 31, 1939 - April 24, 2022

James Craig Fleming was born in Port Arthur, Texas on July 31, 1939 to James Clifford and Ira Mary (Johnson) Fleming. He married his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Lynn Creswell, on July 22, 1961. We felt very blessed last year to celebrate Craig and Phyllis’s 60th wedding anniversary with a gathering of family including Phyllis’s sister, Shirley, numerous nieces and nephews and Evelyn/Pat/John’s families. Craig and Phyllis received cards from long-time friends and coworkers across the country that made the day complete. They definitely felt the love. We’re so pleased that we got to celebrate them!

Craig was proud to follow in his father’s and other family members’ footsteps by attending Texas A&M. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in Geophysical Engineering. Work as an exploration geophysicist sent him to AK, CO, UT, WY, CA, and Central/West/Eastern TX. He and Phyllis made multiple moves while raising their children in TX, CA and CO. He re-engineered his career when the oil and gas industry suffered in the 90’s by enrolling at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and then went to work for the state of TX as an Environmental Inspector (Beaumont) and then in Compliance Enforcement (Austin).

In the 1970’s and 80’s Craig and Phyllis learned along with their three kids to snow ski. They enjoyed hunting and fishing together in their younger days. Retirement brought Phyllis and Craig back to CO with his treasured BBQ smoker in tow and a focus on being grand and great-grandparents. It also gave them the chance to continue working on their cabin in Fairplay that has been a family project since the 80’s. Craig was always busy and loved building. You would often find him working in his shop and his family now has many of his favorite tools.

Craig was a resourceful and good-natured man who cared deeply for his family. He made many friends at work, his neighborhood and in the church. After retiring he cherished the phone conversations that kept him in touch with his former workmates. He was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, CO. He loved to work with his hands. He could tie amazing knots, plait rope and even crochet. He and his younger brother Bill learned many life lessons as Boy Scouts and they both achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He suffered a huge loss when Bill died in a waterskiing accident the day after graduating from high school in Port Arthur. That event affected Craig in many ways for the remainder of his life. It is wonderful to know that he has now been reunited with Bill.

He loved football, swimming and track and field. He dreamed of military service and wanted to get in to UDT (Underwater Demolition Teams, precursor to SEAL Teams). After suffering a cardiac event in high school while playing football his hopes of joining the military ended, but his love and respect for the military endured.

Craig made friends wherever he went. If you needed help with anything he came with tools in hand. Repairing a fence, fixing furniture or tying down a load – he would give you his best advice and it was usually right. He loved seeing people have a good time. Many a family celebration included a smoked brisket that he carefully tended overnight. He provided generously to see his family get together in ways his original family never got to enjoy. During a visit you would always be offered a bowl of ice cream and a cookie and he might sneak a drop of Jack Daniels on the tip of his finger to an unsuspecting grandkid to the chagrin of the grandkid’s parents. His energy for trying to get a rise out of people will be missed.

Craig was preceded in death by his parents and his brother William (Bill). He is survived by Phyllis, his loving wife of 60 years; his three grown children, Evelyn (Kent) Bruxvoort, Patrick (Sally) Fleming, and John (Camille) Fleming; grandchildren Kelsey, Griffin, Michael, Olivia, Aron, Conor, Anneke, Sofia, and Quinn; great-grandchildren Liam and Madison.

Craig passed peacefully from congestive heart failure and kidney disease into the loving arms of his Savior at his home in Windsor on April 24, 2022. He will be dearly missed as a husband, father, grandpa and friend. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, July 21st at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 7755 Greenstone Trail, Fort Collins, CO, 80525 where his cremated remains will be interred. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Craig may be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church or Tunnels to Towers Foundation (T2T.org).

Condolences may be sent to Phyllis Fleming, 1429 Folsum Dr., Windsor, CO 80550

The Fleming family wishes to express our thanks to Goes Funeral Care for their loving help during this difficult time and to Colorado Visiting Nurse Association.