Mr. James A. Craft, 63, died Friday morning May 27, 2016 at his home in rural Jefferson Davis County. Services for Mr. Craft were held on Saturday June 4, 2016 at Rock Hill Church Holiness in Mt. Olive, with Pastor Richard Drummonds officiating. Interment was in the Rock Hill Cemetery, with Laird Mortuary in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Craft was the son of the late Garfield Craft and the late Mae Lene Womack Craft of rural Simpson County. After uniting in marriage to Shelia Graves, Mr. Craft joined the Rock Hill Church and remained a faithful member until his death. Mr. Craft served his Lord and Church as a trustee and a member of the choir.

Mr. Craft graduated from McLaurin High School in 1970, prior to attending Utica Jr. College, in Utica, Mississippi.

After college, Mr. Craft joined the Mississippi Army National Guard, and served from 1973 to 1990, while working at Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, retiring in 1990.

Mr. Craft also worked as a carpenter, gardener, and delighted in doing lawn care for neighbors and friends. In his spare time, Mr. Craft enjoyed deer hunting.

Mr. Craft was preceded in death by his son, LaMarcus Craft and his brother, Earnest Craft.

Mr. Craft’s survivors include his wife, Shelia Graves Craft; one son, Hashim Craft of Augusta GA, one daughter, Pamela T. Doby of Slidell, LA one step-son J’Vante Graves of Prentiss; four sisters, Rene (James) Hooker of Mendenhall, Shirley Ann Griffith of Magee, Cynthia and Vanessa Craft, both of Wiggins, MS; five brothers, Farcia (Gwen) Craft of Horace, IW, Gartha (Glenda) Craft, Curtis Craft, Elijah Craft, all of Mendenhall, and Nelson Craft, of Gulfport; a loving mother-in- law, Betty L. Graves of Prentiss and a number of other relatives and friends.