Mrs. Iris Spears Craig, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, died July 8th, 2009, at 7:23 p.m. Mrs. Craig was born in Baker, Florida, in 1915, to Mrs. Georgia Lester Spears, and Dr. Gus O. Spears, MD. Mrs. Craig was raised and schooled in the Baker area and in September of 1938 married Mr. Douglass A. Craig (now deceased) in the city of Crestview, Florida. Mr. and Mrs. Craig lived in a number of locations throughout the southeast U.S. as a result of Mr. Craig’s career with the U.S. Forest Service, and eventually settled in Avondale Estates, Georgia, in 1950. Avondale Estates was the home of Mrs. Craig until 1999 (and of Mr. Craig until his death in 1989), during which time they were both active members of Decatur First Methodist Church. In 1999, the now-widowed Mrs. Craig moved to the Asbury Methodist Village retirement community in Gaithersburg, Maryland, to be near her children and their families. Mrs. Craig lived at Asbury Methodist Village until her death. To all who knew her, Mrs. Craig was seen as warm, loving, kind, cheerful, gentle, and unfailingly polite and well-mannered. She loved to read and play the piano, and to sew, especially for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mrs. Craig is survived by: her two sons, Mr. John Douglass Craig of Baltimore, MD, and Mr. Douglass Asa Craig of Bethesda, MD; three grandchildren, Mrs. Lea Craig Ward of Baltimore, MD, Ms. Victoria Ines Craig of Boston, MA, and Mr. Douglass Asa Craig III of Bethesda, MD; and, two great-grand children, John Peterson Ward and Craig Davis Ward, of Baltimore, Maryland. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, July 21, 2009, at 2:00 p.m., in the chapel of A.S. Turner & Sons. The Rev. James Styles will officiate. Interment will be immediately following the funeral services, in the Decatur Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the 21st in the chapel of A.S. Turner & Sons.
