MARGARET "NANCY" ALTA HOOKS CRAIG, 93,
of Breckenridge, TX was born June 18, 1924 in Ranger,
TX to James Willis Hooks & Willie Alta Howard Hooks
Clifton. She passed away peacefully, at her home
on March 8, 2018, with burial in the Eastland Cemetery.
Her grandfather insisted she be called Nancy and only
in the later years of her life did she begin using
Margaret. Margaret "Nancy" grew up in Ranger, TX and
attended Ranger High School in the Class of 1942. One
day, at a local cafe;, Margaret met a handsome young
man named Talmadge Richard "T.R." Craig. They began
dating and soon fell in love. In July of 1939 Margaret
"Nancy" married the love of her life, Talmadge Richard
Craig in Ranger. They were married for 66 years. She
was a loving wife and mother.
Nancy and T. R. first lived in Ranger and then Monroe,
LA. In 1984, after T.R. retired, they moved to Brecken-
ridge to enjoy family, friends, traveling around in
their RV, and fishing.
Margaret "Nancy" especially enjoyed helping people by
enriching their lives. Until she turned 90, every Friday
afternoon, she could be found happily volunteering at
the Bargain Box. Margaret also had a gift of sewing and
needlework. She enjoyed the many hours she and her friends
spent at St. Paul United Methodist Church making beautiful
hand stitched quilts. She always enjoyed meeting her group
of friends for their daily lunch get together. All of her
life, Margaret was a furious reader. She especially enjoyed
attending the Bible studies and worship times led by Jim
Caraway.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved
husband; her sister, Betty Hooks Mielke Cox; step-father,
Roy Clifton; step-mother, Jerry Hooks; and step-brother,
Mickey Hooks.
Survivors include daughters, Barbara Craig Graff (RHS-
1960) of Odessa, Mary Craig Jones (RHS-1966) (Vernon)
of Houston; step-brother, David Simpson of Brownwood;
niece, Barbara Hill (Ken) of Abilene; nephews, James
Michael Cloyd (Evelyn) of Oregon, Wayne Cloyd (Darleen)
of Oregon, Allen Robinson (Deborah) of Breckenridge;
four grandchildren, Deborah Jones Bart (Kevin Miller)
of Houston, Sarah Graff Bodner (Jason) of San Antonio,
Mitchell Graff (Jessica) of Houston, Richard Jones
(Isabel) of Houston, and five great-grandchildren
Crystal Bart of Houston, Ella & Logan Jones of Houston,
Jonas Graff of Houston, and Drayton Dallas Bodner of
San Antonio.
HUSBAND: TALMADGE RICHARD "T.R." CRAIG, 86,
of Breckenridge, TX died on Oct. 1, 2005, with burial in
the Eastland Cemetery.
Talmadge Richard "T.R." Craig was born Nov. 30, 1918 in
Hilton, Nolan County, TX, to parents Jessie Elmer Craig and
Bulah Mary Robinson Craig. He moved to Morton Valley when he
was 6 years-old. He graduated from Morton Valley High School
and Ranger Jr. College. T.R. married the love of his life,
Margaret Alta (Nancy) Hooks in July of 1939 in Ranger. They
were married for 66 years.
T.R. owned and operated Craig’s Music Co. in Ranger from 1939
to 1959. In 1959 he went to work for Southwest Athletic Repair
Co. in Ranger and later in 1966 he moved his family to Monroe,
LA, to work for Haddad Athletic Co. He retired in 1984 from
ALL America Athletic Co. in Erie, OH. For 25 years, T.R.
serviced high school and college athletic departments throughout
Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas. He loved refereeing
football games and was a member of the Ranger Southwest Football
Officials Association. He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church
in Monroe, LA. T.R. served his country during WWII from 1943 to
1945 as a Navy Electrician aboard the destroyer-tender, the USS
Yosemite in the Pacific Fleet. After retiring T.R. and Nancy
moved to Breckenridge to enjoy family, friends and fishing. He
was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Adlene Craig
Franklin and Darphern Craig Shamerberge and brothers, Alfred
Craig, Kermit Craig, Barbee Craig and Quillman Craig.
At the time of his death, T.R. was survived by his wife, Nancy
Craig (RHS-1942) of Breckenridge; daughters, Barbara Craig Graff
(RHS-1960) of Odessa and Mary Craig Jones (RHS-1966) & husband,
Vernon of Houston; grandchildren: Deborah Jones Bart & husband,
Michael of Houston, Sarah Graff Bodner & husband, Jason of Dallas,
Mitchell Graff of Houston, and Richard Jones & wife, Mary of
Houston; a great-grandchild, Crystal Bart of Houston; niece,
Barbara Hill & husband, Ken of Eastland; nephew, Rick Craig of
Oklahoma; and sister-in-laws, Rosemary Craig of Mineral Wells
and Betty Mielke (decd-2011) of California.