William Jefferson Craft, 81, Black Hawk, long time Rapid City Fire Fighter, died peacefully at his home of natural causes, Tuesday, August 25, 2020.
He is survived by wife Pat; 2 daughters Jessica Craft and Natalie (Mark) Renken; 2 sons, Steve (Carol) and Dale (Lauri) Craft; six grandchildren; Jason, Sarah, Lucas, Heather, Karly, and Will; 11 great grandchildren and two sisters Rita Tisdale and Dolores Johnson. He is preceded in death by his parents.
William was born August 16, 1939 in Gillette, Wyoming to Blake and Cora (Fortner) Craft. He attended school in Rapid City where he was on the rodeo circuit and was a member of Rapid Shifters Car Club. He graduated from Rapid City High School in 1957. He enlisted in the Army National Guard at 16 and later enlisted in the US Navy and was honorably discharged in 1962. He married Jan (McDonald) Borg and they lived at various naval bases, settling in Rapid City in 1962. In May 1978, William married Pat (Vliem) and they lived in Black Hawk, SD.
He was in the ‘Good Ol’ Boys Club, Black Hills Water Ski Club, was a member of the Jackpine Gypsies and was a longtime member of the Rapid City Fire Department, retiring in 1986.
