Larry Bruce Craig

Larry Bruce Craig, age 79, of Hannibal, MO passed away at 4:30 am Sunday, February 9, 2025, at Hannibal Regional Hospital.

Funeral services will be held 10:00 am Saturday February 15, 2025, at Fifth Street Baptist Church. Bro. Bob Craig and Bro. Tom Carpenter will officiate. Burial with full Military Honors provided by Emmett J Shields American Legion Post 55 will be in the Grand View Burial Park.

Visitation celebrating Larry's Life will be held 4:00 to 7:00 pm Friday, February 14, 2025, at Fifth Street Baptist Church .

The family is being served by Smith Funeral Home & Chapel.

Larry was born on August 28, 1945, in Hannibal, MO the son of Archie and Verlie (Tapscott) Craig.

He was united in marriage to Connie Lee Meeker from Eldora, Iowa, on May 30, 1971.

Survivors include wife, Connie Craig of the home; daughter, Catherine Lee Caffee (Cameron II) of Kernersville, NC and son, Andrew Bruce Craig of Mexico, MO; brother, Robert Craig of Hannibal, MO; sister, Lisa Dugan of Troy, MO; five grandchildren, Cameron Caffee III, (Kat), Mason Craig, Caitlyn Caffee, Morgan Craig and Reagan Craig and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister in-law, Margie Craig and a brother in-law, Donald Dugan.

Larry graduated from Hannibal High School in the class of 1963 and went on to further his education at Hannibal-LaGrange College between 1963-1965 receiving his Associate of Commerce Degree. He then attended Northeast Missouri State University now known as Truman State University between 1965-1968, receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.

After graduating college Larry served in the U.S. Army from April 2, 1968 to January 31, 1993. Completed basic and advanced individual training, attended officer candidate school and was commissioned at Fort Benning, Georgia on February 15, 1969. Served continuously until retirement in January 1993 and retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Larry served tours of duty at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, Vietnam, Fort Benning, GA, Redlands, CA, Fort Riley, KS, Fort Snelling, MN, Fort Richardson, AK, and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

After retirement from the Army, Larry became the Regional director of the Salvation Army Flood Relief from 1993-1995. Larry served as the administrator/supervisor overseeing a seven-county area in the northeast Missouri and west central Illinois in case management and distribution of flood recovery assets and materials. He oversaw four separate field offices and assigned personnel and ensured quality control over all fund recovery efforts in the region. Larry was elected as the first Mayor Pro Tempore for the City of Hannibal in April 1995 and served in that capacity through October 31, 1997. He also served as the Chairman of Hannibal's Planning and Zoning Commission for over 15 years and stepping down from that position in June of 2008.

Larry served as the executive director of the Hannibal Area Chamber of Commerce from 1997-2007. Responsible to the board of directors for a full range of activities including coordination of all programs and special events, organizational structure and procedures, motivation of volunteers, income and expenditures, maintenance of membership, interpretation of policy, liaison with city/county/state/federal government, maintenance of quarters and employment, training and supervision of staff. Served as an advocate for the Hannibal area business community and the communities in Marion and Ralls counties. He served as the executive director of the US Highway 36- Interstate 72 Corridor Transportation Development District starting June 2005 and continued to do so until the district completed its responsibilities and was deactivated and dissolved in June 2018. This organization was a political sub-division of the State of Missouri responsible for paying for a 52 mile 4-lane expansion of highway36 from the western side of Hannibal to the eastern side of Macon. Larry's responsibilities included collection, investing, and distributing of over $34.6 million in sales tax revenue to pay for the project. He also coordinated, documented, and maintained official records of all Board of Directors meetings and other official records.

Larry served on the Marion County Republican Central Committee representing the 2nd ward in Hannibal from August 2010-2022. He was also selected by the committee to be the Chairman of the committee at the committee's March 2013 meeting and retained the position until May 2023. Larry resigned from the committee in September 2023.

Larry was a charter member of the Mark Twain Chorale, a member and former officer of the Hannibal Early Bird Kiwanis Club, with 35 years of perfect attendance, a former board member and an officer of the Downtown Hannibal Development Corporation (formerly known as Hannibal Community Betterment Association).

Larry was a life-long member of the Fifth Street Baptist Church and had served as its Treasurer for over 10 years, as a Deacon, and other leadership positions in the church.

Pallbearers are: Nathan Miller, Ben Craig, Marty Kocher, Joey Craig, 2nd Lieutenant Cody Riley, and Mike Skeen. Honorary Pallbearers are: Members of the Class of 1963.

Memorial contributions may be made to Fifth Street Baptist and Hannibal-LaGrange University, in care of Smith Funeral Home & Chapel.

Online condolences may be made to the family and video tribute viewed on Larry's memorial page at www.smithfuneralhomeandchapel.com