Craig Lawrence Rice

Sep 7, 1946 -

Aug 25, 2026

Craig was born in Renton, Wash., to become the middle child between two older and two younger sisters. In 1960, at age 14, Craig and his father traveled to Alaska ahead of his mother and four sisters to build a homestead on Rabbit Creek Road. Craig was present for the 1964 earthquake and was driving his sister and mother home from work on the Seward Highway when it hit. He was in the first graduating class at West High School. In 1965, he was due to be drafted and decided to enlist in the Navy, where he served a tour in Vietnam as a radar technician on a mine sweeper. They stayed mostly off the coast, but as a ship with a shallow draft, frequently went upriver. He finished the last year of his tour dry-docked in Hawaii.

Following the Navy, Craig went into construction working his way up to a highly successful career in the commercial sector as a construction superintendent. He married Mary Knopf in 1986. In 1992, he took an early retirement and started his own company, Close Enough Construction, where he provided services for light commercial and residential projects, engaging with many wonderful clients.

After a stroke in 2008, Craig retired and enjoyed helping friends with projects and completing extensive home improvements for two fixer-uppers. Throughout his life he loved camping and fishing. He enjoyed traveling with Mary to visit family, and to his two favorite destinations - Mexico and New Zealand.

Craig will likely be remembered the most for his sense of humor; he had a joke or pun for every occasion, topic and for every age.

Craig was preceded in death by his father, Larry Lear Rice; mother, Thelma Virginia Reina; sisters, Kathy Jo, Terri and Penny; and nephews, Troy and Ryan. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Mary Knopf; sisters, Lorraine and Cris; nieces, Erica, Tracy and Aimee; and nephews, Darin, Loren and Gary.