Charles Vincent Joseph "Charlie" Craft, age 81, of Urbana, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at home.

He was born May 12, 1936 in Belgium, Illinois, the youngest of six children, to Hiram C. & Kathleen A. Kelly Craft.

He married Thelma Jean Dragoo on June 20, 1964. They enjoyed 54 years of marriage together.

Charlie attended Schlarman High School in Danville. He attended the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, and graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

Charlie went on to work for 35 years for the University of Illinois, as a business manager for Conferences & Institutes, a department of Continuing Education.

He enjoyed baking pastries and different breads, gardening & flower arranging, writing, reading and vacationing with his family. Charlie was a lifelong Illini fan, and supporter of Chief Illiniwek, "YO CHIEF!", he liked listening to classical music, and Budweiser beer.

He was a parishioner of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Urbana. Above all else, he was dedicated to his family.

Surviving are his wife, his only child - a daughter, and son-in-law, Sarah Jean Craft (Larry) Miller of St. Louis, MO; one grandchild, Liam Craft Miller, age 10; two brothers and one sister-in-law, James Craft of Hot Springs, AR, Donald & Darinka Craft of Urbana; and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Mary Eileen Everest and Elizabeth Grace McCorkle; and one brother, Chester Craft.

Visitation will be held 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. with the funeral beginning at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at Renner-Wikoff Chapel in Urbana. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery, Champaign.

Memorials may be made to St. Patrick's Catholic Church or the Humane Society of Champaign-Urbana.