JUDGE M. CRAIG

SIKESTON -- Judge Marshall Craig, 91, of Sikeston died Monday, Aug. 31, 1998, at his home.

He was born Feb. 10, 1907, near Hickman Mills, son of Robert Lee and Theodocia Cowherd Craig. He and Katherine M. Hudspeth were married June 9, 1935, at Grandview. She died Aug. 13, 1976.

Craig was a 1930 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a 1932 graduate of the University of Missouri Law School.

He was team captain of the Missouri Tigers basketball team at the Big Six Championship in 1930. He was selected first team All-American in 1930. In 1992 he was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame.

Craig received the Faculty Alumni Award, and in 1979 received the Missouri Law School Award.

He was an assistant U.S. attorney in St. Louis from 1937-39, and later served as prosecuting attorney in Mississippi County.

In 1948 he moved to Sikeston and became a partner in Bailey Law Firm.

Craig became circuit judge of the 28th District in 1955, which was reorganized in 1959 as the 33rd Judicial District. Craig served four terms until 1979, and was appointed the first senior judge in Missouri.

He served as president of the Missouri Trial Lawyers Association and served on Missouri Supreme Court committees. He was a past president of Missouri Council of Juvenile Court Judges and Missouri Bar Association, and past vice president of Scott County Bar Association.

Craig was named Sikeston Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year in 1953. He helped organize the Legal Secretaries Association of Southeast Missouri in 1960, and was named Boss of the Year by the group in 1973.

He served eight years on the Sikeston Public Library board, served as secretary of the United Way of Sikeston, was a former director and vice chairman of Sikeston Industrial Development Council, and was a former member of Sikeston Public Schools Advisory Council.

Craig was a longtime member of Sikeston and Charleston Lions Clubs, member and past commander of American Legion Posts there, and member of Masonic Lodge. He was a member of First United Methodist Church and had been a Sunday school teacher, lay speaker, trustee and former chairman of the church board.

He was an Eagle Scout, received the Silver Beaver Award, served as president of the SEMO Boy Scout Council, had been a worker for the Salvation Army. He was a past chairman of Sikeston Child Development Center.

Survivors include a son, Michael Craig of Memphis, Tenn.; a daughter, Nancy McMahon of Sikeston; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by four brothers and four sisters.

Friends may call at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel from 5-8 p.m. Thursday.

Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church, with Dr. Jim Davis officiating. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery.