Mrs. Cravens was born May 26, 1922 in southern Illinois. She was the daughter of the late Emil Christian and Ada Colemeyer Schnake. After graduating from high school in Eldorado, Illinois, she entered Washington University School of Nursing in St. Louis, Missouri, where
she graduated in May 1943. During that year she met a senior medical student, James H. Cravens, and they were married at the First Presbyterian Church of East St. Louis on February 12, 1944. The next two years her husband served in the Army's Medical Corps at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, while she worked as a nurse.
In September 1948, after her husband received additional pediatric training, they moved to Quincy, Illinois. They celebrated nearly 60 years of marriage before Dr. Cravens' death in 2003. During that time, they raised a family, and Mrs. Cravens was involved in numerous church and civic activities. She was an elder and a deacon in the Faith Presbyterian Church of Quincy, worked with Meals on Wheels, the Salvation Army, the Quincy Arts Council, and was a Charter member of Chapter IE, P.E.O. In addition, she was the past president of the Adams County Medical Society Auxiliary -- a women's group of physicians' wives who try to meet the needs within the community and present a positive image for physicians. She also chaired fundraising drives for both the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society in Quincy. Mrs. Cravens was an avid reader, particularly of mysteries and American history, and enjoyed gardening, walking, and playing bridge with her friends. She also enjoyed traveling with her husband. After his death, she moved to Virginia. However, her heart always remained in Quincy.
Surviving are Mrs. Cravens' three children, Patricia Kiser and her husband, Dr. James, of Woodstock, Virginia, Carol C. Johnson and her husband, Robert P., of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and James Charles Cravens and his wife, Mitra, of Mission Viejo, California; five grandchildren, Eric Johnson of Columbus, Ohio, Mark Johnson of San Diego, California, Christopher Johnson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Tiffany Cravens of Long Beach, California, and Shannen Cravens of San Diego, California; and a brother, Jack Schnake of Weimer, Texas.
Mrs. Cravens was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her stepmother, Ann Catherine Doelling Schnake, and one brother, Charles Schnake.
Service: 10:00 a.m Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at Hansen Spear Funeral Home, Reverends Rodney Bakker and Kevin McGinnis officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Cemetery, Illinois Veterans Home.
Visitation: The family will look forward to greeting friends an hour before the service
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Faith Presbyterian Church or the P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education.
Website: www.hansenspear.com
Hansen-Spear Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.
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