Alice M. Craig

Alice Marie Duffy was born on August 24, 1930, in Dayton, Ohio, the second child of Dr. Edward James Duffy and Alice Marie Keenoy Duffy.  She had two brothers, Edward and James.

Alice went to parochial school in Dayton, OH, and graduated from Julienne High School in 1948. 

She earned a degree in Pre-Medicine at the University of Dayton in 1952.  She later completed post-graduate work at Northern Colorado University with a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology.

Alice married Robert J. Craig (Bob), a 1952 graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, NY, on December 27, 1952, in Dayton.  They had two children: Maureen Susan and Robert Edward (Bobby).

With a military and defense-related career, Bob’s work took the family back and forth across the country and abroad in Japan and Germany.  While they lived in Bethesda, MD, Alice worked as a clinical researcher and technical editor at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). After Bob’s retirement, he and Alice settled in St. Michaels, MD for almost 30 years. 

Her Catholic Christian faith was very important to her.  She and her family attended Sunday Mass and sent her children to parochial school.  She and Bob were always active in their parishes, especially helping Bob in supporting crisis pregnancy centers.

Alice loved interacting with others and helping where she could.  She played bridge and golf and often won at both. She wrote poetry, winning local poetry contests in St. Michaels. Until thrown off a horse in her late 70’s and breaking her nose, she also loved to ride and could show off numerous ribbons from competitions. Particularly in St. Michaels, Alice loved sailing.  She hosted sailing days to returning injured veterans and their families. She even spent an unintended night on the boat in the Miles River when they ran aground at low tide.

After Bob’s death in 2017, Alice moved to West Chester, PA, living in her own home in the Hershey’s Mill community and finally at Wellington at Hershey’s Mill.  Even as her eyesight declined, she always found something positive or fun.  Alice loved looking out the windows and commenting on the beauty of the clouds. She loved dogs and would tell many stories about a favorite family pet, Fritz.  During her last years, her granddaughter Alice would often treat her grandmother to a visit from her dog, Kevin, ever a highlight for Grandma Alice.  And even when Alice stopped loving to eat, she still enjoyed coffee cake at breakfast and a donut every Sunday, which probably helped her live to 94!  Alice also loved to tell stories.  The staff at Wellington will tell you how she rode in the Olympics or the Kentucky Derby – wonder how they got that idea?!

Until her very last days at Wellington, Alice would go around, putting her hand on people’s shoulders and telling them that she “loved” them! The staff called her Sweety Pie!  She gained special friends in her later years, notably Andrea Smith who would help her around the house and take her shopping or out to lunch regularly. Alice became one of “three amigos” at Wellington, often enjoying conversation at the fireplace with her dear friends Dolores and Ida.

Alice passed away peacefully on September 2, with Bobby and Maureen present.

Alice is survived by her brother James Duffy, by her two children, Maureen Craig Snook, married to John D. Snook, and Robert Edward Craig (Bobby), married to Carol Carosa Craig, by her six grandchildren: John-Paul Craig Snook and wife Erin McCloskey Snook, Walter Robert Snook and wife Caroline Beaudette Snook, Alice Louise Inge Snook and boyfriend John Shields, Christina Marie Snook Johnson and husband Wesley Johnson, Robert Conor Craig, and AnnaRose Craig, and by two great-granddaughters Kiera Marie Snook and Elouise Patricia Snook.

Relatives and friends are invited to her visitation on Monday, October 7, 2024 from 10:00 am - 10:45 am at SS. Peter & Paul Church 1325 E. Boot Rd. West Chester, PA 19380, followed by her Funeral Mass at 11:00 am. 

A second Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 10:00 am in the Catholic chapel at the US Military Academy in West Point, NY, followed immediately by burial with her husband, Robert J. Craig, in the USMA cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to: Saints Peter and Paul School, 1327 Boot Road, West Chester, PA 19380, or Chester County Connect Care, 139 W. Market St., West Chester, PA 19382 (provides free medical service for women and men experiencing an unexpected pregnancy).