Steven Craig Dunn of Bradford, Arkansas, passed away on April 9th, 2025. He leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving wife of 36 years, Cindy Dunn; one daughter, Courtney Dunn of Toronto, Canada; his sister, Stacy Chambliss and husband, Chad, and their daughter, Haley; The Familya, Carl and Diana; a host of extended family and cousins, Cindy’s family, his Midland School District Family; and a lifetime of friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arvis and Paulette; his grandparents, Joe and Eunice; and his in-laws, Connie and Eva Nelson.
Craig was a faithful member of Northside Church of Christ, where he was the song leader.
Craig loved being a husband, father, brother, a “familya” and friend.
In 1987, he met the love of his life, Cindy, through a mutual friend. Cindy and her friend were going Christmas shopping on that Saturday, and the friend asked if her husband and friend could go with them. Cindy looked at her and said, “Remember, just as friends!” They were never separated again.
Craig and Cindy spent the next 36 years building a wonderful, loving life together. In 1997, Craig had the opportunity to buy part of the family farm that was once owned by his grandparents, Marshall and Mary. This was the old home place that still had the original red barn built in the 1940s. They spent a lot of hard-working days to make it the beautiful place that it is today. Craig enjoyed sitting on the front porch looking out toward the pasture watching the cows, especially when they had a bunch of little baby calves running all over the place. He always told Cindy, “This is the best decision we ever made.”
Over the past several years, they were able to see part of this beautiful world together with family and friends. They traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Italy and Greece.
They got to dog sled on a glacier, zip-line and climb Diamond Head in Hawaii, climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge (they also learned they couldn’t drive from New Zealand to Australia, you will have to ask Cindy about that later), zip-line by Niagara Falls, and Craig even climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Craig enjoyed helping Cindy in the concession stand at school, interacting with parents and students. He always made sure to have a couple of dad jokes to tell everyone.
Some of the many things Craig loved doing was dressing up in costumes for school events and holidays. He enjoyed helping Cindy make the big Dr. Seuss cake each year, Karaoke and singing Elvis songs. Craig enjoyed all the holidays together with family, where they would play all kinds of games.
The last couple of years, he enjoyed dressing up in costume and going to the Batesville Christmas lights. He said he wanted to bring joy to people and see them smile, especially the children. He jokingly told people that Cindy was his handler.
He was a wonderful brother to Stacy and brother-in-law to Chad, always making sure he got Stacy a box of chocolate-covered cherries every Christmas, even though she hated them, and some kind of funny shoes or house shoes. He loved them both so much.
He also loved and enjoyed many game nights with his family. Even though he liked to skip everyone when they played Phase 10, and they wouldn’t be anywhere close to the phase he was on.
Craig was such a hard worker in anything he did. He put 110% into the job he had for 35 years at Granges/Norandal, doing everything he could to make sure the plant would succeed, and he considered all the employees as family.
He will be greatly missed by everyone he’s touched with his life.
Friends may visit at the funeral home, Monday evening, 5:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services are 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, at Jackson’s Newport Funeral Home Chapel, with interment following at Velvet Ridge Cemetery.
Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Bryan Ritchie, Eugene Calhoun, Steve Cordell, Riley Hitchcock, Scott Skaggs, and Wesley Wells. Honorary pallbearers are Current and Former Employees of Granges and Midland School District Students and Staff.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Dadi, Dr. Shaw, the Staff and nurses at White County Oncology, and Arkansas Hospice. They all made this journey more comfortable for us with their kindness and love.
Donations in memory of Craig may be made to White County Oncology-Infusion Lab, 415 Rodgers Drive, Suite A, Searcy, Arkansas, 72143, the American Cancer Society, and the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, Cancer Research Institute.
Craig would leave on this note – What do you call fake spaghetti – An impasta!!! – What do you call a 4 door chicken coop – A chicken sedan – What do you call fake potatoes –Imataters!
Arrangements by Jackson’s Newport Funeral Home.
