Charles Craighead

Funeral services for Mr. Charles David Craighead, 72 of Cookeville, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 30 at Collegeside Church of Christ with Wes Gallagher officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Crest Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper-Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home and again Saturday from 11 a.m. until service time at the church. Mr. Craighead died Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at his home. He was born November 24, 1943 in Nashville, TN to the late James Deurelle and Mildred Moon Craighead. Charles graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1965 earning a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. He was a cost accountant for Pillsbury Farms in Gainesville, GA until he returned to Cookeville as cost accountant with Tutco Inc. He retired from Tutco after 29 years as Chief Financial Officer. He later was the accounting manager at I-Light Technologies in Cookeville until his health declined. Charles served in the US Army from 1966-1969. Most of that time he was stationed at Fort Dix, NJ as finance clerk for the stockade and as a courier escort. He was a member of Collegeside Church of Christ for many years. He served as a deacon, Bible class teacher, and treasurer. He was a tireless volunteer for Boy Scouts, United Way, Little League Baseball, and the Cookeville High School Band. He served several years as the president of the CHS Band Boosters. He was a founding member of Cookeville Area National Management Association, and was listed in Who's Who in Executives and Professionals in 2003. His interests were many and varied. He enjoyed working on cars, welding, refinishing furniture, collecting and repairing antique clocks, making jewelry for loved ones and friends, and repairing toys for his grandchildren. He was an accountant by profession, but an engineer at heart. After his illness he began to develop tools to help himself regain his independence. His canes and reachers are examples of his desire to make life better for himself and others with whom he shared his creations. His courage and determination has been a great encouragement to many. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ava Jean Taylor Craighead (whom he married June 27, 1965 in Cookeville); a son, Michael (Tracie) Craighead of Cookeville; two daughters, Kristin Coffman of Cookeville, and Cindy (Brandon) Baxter of Franklin, TN; three brothers, Don (Margaret) Craighead of Portland, TN, Jerry Craighead of Murfreesboro, TN, Phil (Janet) Craighead of Cookeville, and four dearly loved grandchildren, Gates Craighead, Merriel Craighead, Matthew Baxter, and Elizabeth Baxter. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Memorial contributions may be made to Happy Haven Children's Home, 2311 Wakefield Drive, Cookeville, TN 38501.