Laura Marie Craig

Laura Marie Craig, 90, of Toledo passed away at Bay Park Community Hospital in Oregon, OH on May 9th, 2020. Laura was born to Martin and Clara Beat on October 17th, 1929 in Bellevue, OH. After graduating from Baldwin Wallace University with a bachelor's degree in English, she soon married and had her four beloved children. She went on to become employed with Stouffer's, which sparked her interest in the food service industry. She entered the world of healthcare food service at Mariemont Hospital in Tiffin, Ohio. Afterwards, she accepted a position with Gladieux Food Service as Director of Food Service at Parkview Hospital. She worked there for 32 years until her retirement. Under her direction, the hospital became known for its food, especially apple dumplings, fried chicken livers and macaroni and cheese, just to name of few. The food, which was made from scratch daily by some of the best cooks in the city, would not only feed the patients and staff of the hospital but would draw in community members, who would stop in just to eat the delicious food. Though she was dedicated to Parkview Hospital, she will be remembered most by those she loved for her ardent love of reading mystery novels, boasting that she read every mystery novel in the Perrysburg Library from "A" to "Z". She loved to travel with her late sweetheart, Paul English. Together they adventured to Canada, the Mexican border, and beyond. Later in her retirement she discovered Bingo and would play at the Sylvania Senior Center with her friends. She could not sing, but was quite musically inclined, having a love for opera and the Toledo Symphony, and playing several instruments herself, including the piano, the violin, the flute, and the trumpet. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Stephen James Craig of Mississippi, Laura Gray of Toledo, Royanne McNair (Dave) of Nevada, Constance Ruth DuBois (Donald Kachenmeister) of Toledo; her older sisters, Mary Avery and Bette Roland, and younger brother James Beat (Bobbie); 7 Grandchildren; and 14 Great Granchildren. Preceding her in death are her parents, Martin and Clara Beat; her husband, Paul English; her brothers Fred and Robert and sister Helen, her favorite dogs, Tina and Gertrude; and numerous beloved cats. Due to the global pandemic, a fitting Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, to be announced by the family.