Raymond Craven

Gene Craven, 78, of Webster City, died Tuesday, December 25, 2012 at Crestview Nursing and Rehabilitation. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 31, 2012 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, with Rev. Stephen Meyer, celebrant. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Foster Funeral and Cremation Center from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, December 30, 2012 and at the church prior to the Mass. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 7:15 p.m. followed by the scripture service. Raymond Eugene Craven, son of Arthur and Evelyn Shafer Craven, was born August 8, 1934 at Webster City. He attended Stanhope Consolidated School graduating in 1953. He served with the U.S. Marines from 1953 to 1956 following the Korean War. Following his discharge, he returned to Stanhope and was employed at Kenny's Grocery Store. On April 23, 1957, he married Mary Etheldreda Lawrence at St. Thomas Aquinas. He also worked at the Stanhope Locker, the Stanhope Lumber yard, Don's Clover Farm at Dayton, Bob's Quality Market and as a janitor at the Stanhope elementary school. He owned and operated the Stanhope Speed Wash from 1962 to 1975. In 1969, he purchased Stanhope grocery and named it Gene's Quality Market (later called Gene's Clover Farm). In 1977, Gene and his family moved to Hartley and operated Gene's Foodland until 1992. He worked for the new owners as a meat cutter, retiring in 2001. They moved to Webster City in 2001 and he moved to Crestview in October of 2011. Gene is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mary; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Jan Craven of Lindenhurst, IL; daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and David Stamp and Diane and Matt Boyle, all of Waterloo; grandchildren, Kaitlin, Brandon and Ashton Craven; Joey, Zach and Michael Stamp; Melissa and Catherine Boyle; sisters-in-law, Maureen Bibler and Millie Oleson; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Nelva Feaker. Gene was a member of the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, 4th degree and American Legion Post # 191. Write a personal tribute or light a virtual candle for the Craven family at www.fosterfuneralandcremation.com