Ronald Dean Craighead

Ronald Dean Craighead, 87, of Mission, Kansas, died peacefully at Kansas City Hospice House on October 12.

He was born on Sept. 12, 1939, to Alfred Craighead and Eva Mae (Burton) Craighead in Burr Oak, Kansas, where he lived until his senior year of high school when his family moved to Kansas City, Kansas. He graduated from Rosedale High School in 1957 and attended Bethany Nazarene College for one year. He worked in chrome bumper plating for several years before buying a dump truck to haul gravel. This single truck grew into J&R Hauling. A highlight of the year was the annual company picnic for employees, friends, and family.

As a child, asthma kept Ron inside a lot, so he filled his time with books, reading nearly every book in the Burr Oak library, where his grandmother was the librarian. He remained a voracious reader and a stickler for the proper grammar his grandma Burton insisted on.

Ron met the love of his life, Joy Henshaw, at a church function in the spring of 1960. They were married six weeks later and were inseparable for nearly 64 years until her death in 2024. Together they raised two children, spoiled grandchildren and great grandchildren, maintained friendships with high school classmates, made friends through various hobbies, and road tripped across the United States.

Every August for 25 years, a group consisting of Ron, his family, friends, and anyone else he could convince to join them, camped in southwest Colorado. He loved taking visitors on the jeep roads, showing off the beauty of the San Juan Mountains and took pride in driving passenger cars over the passes, much to the annoyance of the tourists who had rented jeeps.

For many years, Ron raced a sprint car on the dirt tracks in and around Kansas City. He enjoyed racing, but probably liked building, maintaining, and refining the cars more. When he stopped car racing, he switched to running. He competed in many 10Ks and a couple of marathons, including Pikes Peak. He ran a five miler with his miniature poodle Scruffy, who most likely owns the course record for dogs.

During their retirement, Ron and Joy drove up and down both coasts and to many places in between. They took cruises to Mexico and the Caribbean, where they explored villages and ancient ruins, and to Alaska. Ron was an avid fisherman and spent many hours in his boat at Hillsdale Lake and Lillys’ Landing on Lake Taneycomo.

Family was important to Ron. He and Joy were on the sidelines of every one of their kids’ cross country and track meets during high school and beyond, and they attended most of their grandkids’ sporting events, musicals, dance performances, and concerts. He looked forward to family dinners, graduation parties, weddings, reunions, and holiday gatherings.

Ron will be missed for his kindness and generosity. He was always willing to lend a hand in whatever way he could.

Ron is survived by his daughter, Annette Pierce (Steve); son, John Craighead (Jo Ann); grandchildren Jennifer Funk (Brian), Jeremiah Craighead (Meghan), Joe Pierce, and Luisa Pierce; great grandchildren Leah, Axel, Asher, and Shiloh Funk; and Griffith, Victor, and Verity Craighead; and sisters-in-law Linda Phillips and Treva Jones.

He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; brother, Wendel Craighead; and an infant sister.

A memorial will be scheduled later.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to a charity that is meaningful to the donor.