Dean Craig: The Man with the Colorful Life
Meet Dean Craig.
“I was born at a very early age in a log cabin I helped my mother build.”
If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting him, then you know Dean Craig is a storyteller through and through.
He’s a guest columnist with Okmulgee Times, writing articles about all the Lion’s Club happenings.
So, I began our conversation with questions about The Lions Club.
“Well, the Lions started in 1917,” Craig said matter of factly. “That was my other life.” We all laugh, because with the delivery of his statement, you almost had to question if you heard him correctly.
“No, I don’t believe in reincarnation. I didn’t believe it the first time I was here either,” Craig said. At this moment, I knew that this was going to be one of the best interviews I’ve had to date.
Craig has been a Lion for 57 years and is the Past District Governor of the club. He has received numerous awards for his service including his most recent, a third International Presidential award earlier this year.
“When I joined here, we had 133 members,” Craig said. “And probably less than 10 years ago, we got down to 18. We are one of seven original clubs in Oklahoma … Melvin Jones from Chicago was a businessman. And they had been meeting to help people. That was our job, you know. They had a meeting in Dallas, Texas and because Melvin Jones was from Chicago, Illinois became multiple district one. Because it (the meeting) was held in Dallas, Texas became multiple district two. Because Oklahoma had the most delegates, we became multiple district three. So our district is three E, three east.”
It was 1974 when Craig received his first District Lion of the Year award; by the following year, 1975, Craig became District Governor. That meant he oversaw 52 clubs in 17 counties in northeastern Oklahoma.
“It was an honor to be elected as the overseer governor,” he said.
One of the greatest Lion projects that he is most proud of is the Oklahoma Lions Eye Bank, whose goal is to ‘give the precious gift of sight.’
“Since 1957, the Oklahoma Lions Club has recovered 31,827 corneas and transplanted 23,294,” Craig said. “Our own former local funeral director and Lion, Jimmy McClendon, attended the first class given by the University of Central Oklahoma to qualify funeral directors to anucleate eyeballs.”
Helen Keller came before the Lions International organization in 1925 with a challenge and a request in her speech.
“‘I appeal to you Lions, you who have your sight, your hearing, you who are strong and brave and kind. Will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness?’” Helen Keller asked.
Since that time, sight conservation is how Lion’s “foster and sponsor the work of the American Foundation for the Blind.”
“We are in 210 countries around the world; four million members, world’s largest service club. I remember in the 60s when I joined, we were sending doctors, nurses, surgeons to China, who at that time was a third world country… we sent our doctors, medical people over to do surgery on kids cleft palate, eyesight and vision and as a result of that in the probably 30s 40s, we are the only civic club allowed in China. We have 180 clubs in China.”
While visiting with Dean, discussing his love for Lion’s was apparent but he also shared many family stories and history with me. It was as if he opened the pages of his life and invited me in to come read a few.
“I was born in Enid,” he said. “We went to Alva, Anadarko, and went to college in Weatherford … my dad was a Pentecostal preacher … preachers don’t make alot of money. I didn’t know we were poor until I started running around with the rich people’s kids. if I hadn’t had a scholarship on my trumpet, I couldn’t have gone to college. I mean, Dad just didn’t have the money. And when they moved here, we left the church in Anadarko of about 200… “We had a house in Enid and when dad retired here, I thought we’re going back to Enid, but because of the people here, they sold their house. They both died in this town and we stayed here since 1957, because of the people.”
Craig also shared that while in college, he became a band dancer. While dancing was not something that his father believed in or necessarily approved of, Craig recalls his college days as “doing what he had to do.”
His field of study was Pharmacy for three years, but he had to withdraw early. This opened the door for new experiences.
“When I dropped out of school, I had to change my draft status. I was exempt, you know, while going to college, but I was probably coming up. So, I went out to Tinker, took the test for Air Force pilot. Man that’s the worst, it was all day. You had four hours in the morning, four in the afternoon. We had about 300 out there testing. By noon, we took a break. They graded the papers, half of us were dismissed. I made it. Finished … this was 1960, first year of the Air Force Academy graduates and they said, ‘Dean, you’ve passed, but the pilots – the guys out of the Academy – get first choice. And if you want to be a navigator, and you do well, you might get on up to be a pilot.’ And I said ‘No. I can’t be a pilot.’ I’m not going so I turned them down.”
Craig entered the Navy, and found the academics to be a “breeze,” though the physicals were “murder.”
“May the 25th 1960, I was sworn into the Navy 63 years ago,” he said. However, an unfortunate slip on the grass, leading to a broken thumb, almost got Craig removed.
“They called me up before the Admiral, and said ‘we’re gonna kick you out of the Navy.’ ‘For what?’ ‘Fraudulent entry to the Navy.’ I said ‘No. The doctor didn’t know that it was broken.’ How would I know, so they took an x-ray. So anyhow, they gave me grace and I had to come back home though. And then I went in, over Labor Day, I think and flight school. I never made it out. And that’s all I ever wanted to do. Blue Angels … I have my pilot’s license but I didn’t get it from the Navy. I messed up on a test.”
When asked how he felt about being nominated as one of Okmulgee County’s Unsung Heroes, Craig said, “I’m flabbergasted” and moved to highlight his wife Anita. “She is the wind beneath my wings. I told her if she dies before me, I’m going to kill her because I can’t make it without her.”
Craig has lived several lives, as a sailor and a pilot. He also worked for DHS for 28 years, and was a part of a Boys Ranch that the Lions now have as a certified foster home in Payne County called Meadows of Hope. From humble beginnings to peace and stability, Craig is the epitome of life truly being what you make it. Thank you for your time Dean Craig and thank you for your service!
— The Henryetta Free-Lance and Okmulgee Times are featuring local residents who are making a difference in the community. These individuals don’t seek accolades for themselves, but go about their day doing all they can to change the lives of others. If there is someone you would like to nominate as one of Okmulgee County’s Un-
