Kelman D. Craige, Jr.

EAST BARRE - Kelman Douglas (K.C.) Craige, Jr., passed away on Friday, January 12, 2024, at the UVM Medical Center after a several month battle with glioblastoma brain cancer.

Born on February 10, 1956, in the Barre City Hospital, he was the son of Kelman Douglas and Sylvia Sue (Sanderson) Craige, Sr.  K.C. was the first boy and middle child of their five offspring, born in seven years.

K.C. and the family grew up in the warm embrace of East Barre. The town was one large neighborhood, and everyone looked out for each other. He was a 1974 graduate of Spaulding High School.

He was known as a trained professional in many fields. K.C.’s  greatest asset was his ability to communicate and bond with others.  After a brief stint in the electrical parts industry, he found his calling when he was hired by Bond Auto in 1981. He worked for Bond Auto for 35 years in multiple locations and various routes, making friends everywhere he went. He worked for Fisher Auto for the last five years.

In 1999, after a five-year rental period, K.C. married Suzanne Wilson. In 2004, they moved to the family farm to care for Sylvia. They lived a very full life together. Their common love of racing, camping, snowmobiling and being involved with their various family members kept them in constant motion.  Racing took them to Loudon, Richmond, Dover, Bristol, and Charlotte and of course Thunder Road. He was especially thankful to witness his great nephew Kyle Streeter win the Flying Tiger track championship in 2023. Snowmobiling was at the family camp in Maidstone and right out the back door. Camping was wherever friends could be found, old and then new. K.C. and Sue were seldom seen apart from each other.

More than anything else K.C. loved to laugh. He had a nickname for most everyone. He was a journeyman prankster. If you retaliated, you may find out that you may have hurt his one feeling, which turned out to be highly resilient. In his initial interview he would probably ask you if you were a Big Deal.

He leaves his wife Sue Craige; his father-in-law Ernest Wilson, Sr; his sisters Kim Wimble; Deb Fitzgerald and her husband, Scott; Rosanne Deforge; Sara Wilson; and Alice and Richard Danforth;  his brothers Sandy Craige and his wife, Cathy; Ernie Wilson, Jr.; and Darcie Bottiggi and Kevin Wilson; his nieces and nephews Brynn Haggett; Craige Grenier and his wife, Tara; Kelly Burns and her husband, Jesse; Rory Fitzgerald; Amanda Mathewson and her husband, Craig; Clemantine Craige and her husband, Toby; Elmer, and Felicia Deforge; Katie Merrill; Brittany and Ashley Roberts; Matthew, Justin and Michael Danforth; Dakoyta Wilson; and David and Sophia Craige; and great-nieces and nephews Bryson Fletcher, Kyle Streeter and Liz O’Connell, Travis Streeter, Leila and Jake Mathewson, Zoe and Emmy Burns, Rose, Alyssa, Bella, Lily and Jude Craige.   K.C.'s nieces and nephews were like his own children, and he followed and actively participated in their lives.

He was predeceased by his parents and his brother Nelson, as well as his mother-in-law Irene Wilson, brothers-in-law Donnie Wimble, Toby Roberts and Elmer Deforge II.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. in the Canadian Club of Barre, 414 East Montpelier Road, Barre.  Please come dressed in your favorite race or camping attire.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Family Center of Washington County - Early Intervention Division Attn: The Bradley Fund, at 383 Sherwood Drive, Montpelier, VT 05602.