Obituary of Oliver Craig Burkholder

Oliver Craig Burkholder died Monday afternoon at his home in Bernardsville. He was with Mary, his wife of almost 67 years, and daughter Kathy of Warren. Just two months shy of his 96th birthday, "Craig" was born in Rochester, Pennsylvania and grew up in the Lehigh Valley. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1941 and ultimately retired from the Air Force in 1966 after serving in World War II, during which he was decorated for valor, Korea and Vietnam. He was a graduate of the University of Maryland and taught high school in NJ until retiring in 1979. He was invariably gregarious, caring, and loved his friends at the Somerset Hills YMCA. He was an avid driver and love the men of and was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars; Craig was to be the Grand Marshal of this year's Memorial Day Parade. His granddaughter Megan McCarthy said that he was invariably meeting people he knew or making new friends. Craig and Mary had three children, Ann who died in 2003, Nick and Kathy. He is also survived by son-in-law David, grandchildren Mary, John, Paul, Megan, Ryan, Kevin and Kaitlin, grandson-in-law Chris, granddaughters-in-law Gretchen and Kri, and four great grandchildren, Heidi, Maggie, Ollie and Jehu. He also seemed to have a legion of friends of all ages. All are spry for his loss but blessed to have known him. Visitation will be at Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home, 101 S. Finley Avenue, Basking Ridge on Friday, May 10 from 2-4 and 6-8. A service will be held at the St. James Chapel on Finley Ave., Basking Ridge at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. Interment will follow at Somerset Hills Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Veterans of Foreign Wars: Post 7858, P.O. Box 253, Bernardsville, NJ 07924. For more information please contact the Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home at 908-766-0250 or to light an online condolence candle visit our website www.gcfuneralhome.com.