Archiles Cheed Craft

In Memory of Archiles “Cheed” Craft October 13, 1952 There will be no formal funeral. Instead, there will be stories, laughter, and memories shared wherever people gather and say, “Remember when…”Archiles “Cheed” Craft lived many lives in one. He was a coal miner, a member of the Scotia Mine Recovery Team, a business owner, a father, a grandfather, a friend, and a man who seemed to know a little about everything. Quick-witted and sharp-minded, he had a way of turning ordinary days into something worth remembering. If life gives you someone who lives on the spur of the moment, never turn down an invitation that begins with, “Let’s go.” You’re likely about to make a memory you’ll carry for the rest of your life. When life got hard, he met it with humor. When cancer came, he wore a hat with fake hair just to make people smile. If it brought laughter, it was worth it. Never stop laughing. Don’t lose your sense of humor. Do the things that make you smile. Let your kids sit in your lap and help drive the ATV. Spend mornings looking for deer, even if none appear. Take someone you love for ice cream on an ordinary Tuesday. Enjoy your children. They won’t stay little long. Stay a little longer. Laugh a little louder. Don’t wait for special occasions to make a memory. And always bring someone with you—because people matter. In keeping with his wishes, please don’t send flowers, gifts, or donations. Instead, invest that time or money in someone you love. Give your time. Share your stories. Make memories that outlive you. Take a child fishing. Teach someone something you know. Make someone laugh. Go look for deer. Buy the dancing Santa. Buy the singing fish. Go make a memory that lasts—and if you think of Cheed while you do, he’d like that. As he said of so many others and as we remember him, “He was good to me.”