Kenneth A. Craley

Kenneth A. Craley, age 90, longtime Shelby resident, died Friday morning, July 22, 2022 at the home of his daughter, Suzanne, in Westerville.

Ken was born June 9, 1932 in St. James, Morrow County, Ohio to the late Clarence and Violet (Voegele) Craley. He was a 1950 graduate of Caledonia High School and was a proud United States Air Force Veteran serving during the Korean War. Ken retired from Peabody Barnes in Mansfield and had also worked in security at MTD in Willard following retirement. He was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mansfield where he was a deacon.

Ken was a man of many hobbies and interests throughout his life. First and foremost, Ken was a family man through and through. He cherished spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He was a lover of anything aeronautic- an enthusiasm that started when he was just a young boy and his dad took him on his first airplane trip. It was not just planes that piqued his interest as he also enjoyed attending car shows. Ken was a traveling man his entire life and enjoyed many trips throughout the county and world especially his wife and family. He was a history buff, delighted in photography, and always kept current on sports, especially Shelby Whippet Football and Basketball, the Cleveland Browns, and golf- a sport he avidly played. He never was one to go hungry as he loved to eat with his true weakness being desserts and candy. To put it simply, if there was something going on, Ken was not going to miss it even if that meant forgoing sleep on a trip.

On September 5, 1959, Ken married his wife of 56 years, Judith Ann “Judy” (Conklin) Craley, and she preceded him in death on February 16, 2015. In addition to his wife and parents, Ken was preceded in death by his brother: Earl Frederick Craley. Survivors include his children: Stephen Craley of Blacklick, Sharon Layland (John Myers) of Shelby, and Suzanne (Kevin) Metzger of Westerville; grandchildren: Nathan (fiancé, Jessica) Craley, Kimberly Gheen, Christopher (Rachael) Metzger, John Miller, and Ryan Metzger; 11 great grandchildren; sister-in-law: Cathy Craley of Granville; and nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Family and friends are welcome on Friday, July 29, 2022 from 4-7 pm at the Penwell Turner Funeral Home, 168 West Main Street, Shelby, where funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 10:30 am. Pastor Edward Marton will officiate and burial will follow in Iberia Cemetery, Morrow County. Military honors will be conducted at the cemetery by the United States Air Force in conjunction with the Mt. Gilead VFW Post #8054. Memorial contributions may be made to Mt. Carmel Hospice, 6150 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43213.

Appropriate ways to express sympathy for those unable to attend may be done by leaving an online condolence on Ken’s obituary at www.PenwellTurner.com or by leaving a comment on his post on the funeral home’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/PenwellFuneral.

To view Ken’s tribute video, follow this link provided: https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/64YTSMN49Y4LDLRY