This seems suddenly to be getting harder and harder...When I made Craig's picture, it just really hit me how much I've missed him, and how young he was when he was suddenly taken from this earth. Our family was very close growing up and it was a hard time. When I think of Craig, I think of him playing his guitar and singing "Get Back" the Beatle song and sounding just like them! I was so impressed with his ability to sing and play the guitar. His loving and kind nature was evident in all he did. His smile and his love for his sister and parents. He inspired us all. Even when he died suddenly, I will always remember writing the best poem I ever had at that time, totally inspired from my heart to him. I have since used that poem to bless countless others in their grief and sorrow at the loss of a loved one, inspired by my cousin, Craig.
~Donna
When you grow up in the St.Onge family, you were paired with a cousin that was near your age. There was Doug and Ray Joe, Steve and Jerry, and me and Craig.
I remember bits and pieces of Craig in Florida, how he loved to fish. How they swam on Christmas Day, and how they went through a hurricane. But the summer they came back to Michigan was one of the happiest of my life. We had a blast together going to the Ecorse River and floating on a pallet all the way to the ocean! Like Huck Finn, we spent hours in that small stream.
When we went up north and played Indians. Uncle Red made us bows and arrows and we went out and shot at everything we could. Craig was always getting hurt. He feel out of a tree at the farm, I believe and broke his arm. But I was the daredevil. We slept together in the back room at the farm and no one was going to split us up.
Remember the dances out in the bungalow. Craig danced to 'Down in the Boondocks' and he really knew how to dance!
We both had paper routes and we both had guitars. But Craig could play his. His favorite song was "Baby you can drive my car," by the Beatles. He was crazy about the Beatles. We used to exchange names at Christmastime and I always had Craig. I would get him some clothes or a car . He bought me a Beatle album "Love me do" or CCR "Green River". He taught me about music.
As we grew, we didn't see each other so much. I went into the Navy and he got married. I was away oversees that day, but I thought, he was so lucky.
We both were drawn to electronics by Uncle Eddy. Craig knew how to fix anything. I remember Uncle Eddy coming over and showing us a cassette tape - Neil Young, Harvest and told us this was the future and we said, "no way."
When I left for the Navy, I gave Craig my guitar. I couldn't take it with me and he always liked it. When I got out, we called each other, but only met sporadically.
When Grandma was buried, we went up north. I rode back with Uncle Red and Aunt Jane. While we were there, Craig got in an accident and was in the hospital. When we got home, Aunt Jane called Craig and asked if I wanted to talk to him. His neck was in a brace and he was bumming. Well, I had him laughing so hard, Aunt Jane told me to stop, I might hurt him.
To me, when Craig passed away is a day I'll never forget. It was a Sunday and me and my first wife, Val were in the midst of planning our wedding. Could Craig be a part of it? Then I got a call from my sister. I drove over and Craig was gone. It shocked me that at that young of an age one of us could be gone forever. Craig was the best. I was the risk taker. Now he's gone. As long as I live, those days will be in my mind. I loved him like a brother.
Now my son is in a rock band. He plays the guitar. He plays "Craig's guitar" because Aunt Jane gave it back to me.
I was at the Roseville Theatre last week and Nick, my son, played a 45 minute set. I wondered what Craig would think. My son is a musician! I wish he was there to get up and play a few of those Beatle songs...I'll always miss him. ~ Duane

~Maybe he was there in spirit~ DKR

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