A small, family service was held on Thursday, September 10, 2020, at Chapelwood United Methodist Church to celebrate Craig’s life. Click Here to Watch the Recorded Service. Click Here to Download the Program.
Craig Plumhoff was born a baby boomer on June 16, 1949, to Franchelle and Walter Plumhoff in Houston, Texas. He spent his childhood in the newly-formed suburb of Hunters Creek Village, riding bikes to school and climbing trees on Kuhlman Road with his younger brother Charlie and cousin Paul.
An ace student graduating seventh at Memorial High School, Craig decided to put down the books and become the life of the party at the University of Texas at Austin, ‘gatoring’ his way through the Sigma Nu fraternity house and making memories and friends that would last a lifetime. Shortly after graduating with a degree in journalism, Craig met the love of his life – Mary Leslie Gayle – and decided to direct his communication skills towards an insurance brokerage career in order to better support a family.
Mary Leslie and Craig married on June 9, 1973, and welcomed daughter Mary Kristen in 1978 and son Jonathan one year later. Always putting family first, Craig decided to form his own company in 1985 to allow him greater flexibility and time with his wife and two children. Plumhoff & Associates grew to be one of the most respected insurance brokerage firms in the industry with Craig at the helm as CEO. He made lifelong friends out of clients and lifelong clients out of friends.
Craig and Mary Leslie made many friends within other circles too, including their neighborhood, church, children’s schools, and country club communities, and have many wonderful memories of entertaining and traveling with friends over the years. Craig especially enjoyed his men’s fishing trips to Alaska.
Craig Plumhoff passed away peacefully from this earth and entered the gates of heaven on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, after a brave battle against coronavirus and other health complications.
A man with a larger than life presence who never met a stranger, Craig fully embraced his 71 years on earth and leaves behind a legacy of loving his neighbor as himself and loving his God with all his heart, mind, soul and strength.
Throughout his life, Craig walked the walk by putting others before himself, and his infectious personality, down-to-earth charm and big tender heart endeared him to everyone he met. Craig also had a servant’s heart, particularly for younger people, and involved himself in many organizations throughout his life, including Grace Presbyterian Church youth ministry, Young Life youth ministry, Children’s Charity Board of Directors, Covenant House Board of Directors, Bo’s Place Advisory Board, Houston Country Club’s Toolbox Lunch ministry, Bridges to Life prison ministry and his own Bible study ministering to young men for more than a decade. During his ten years at Grace Presbyterian Church, Craig served as an elder, deacon and Stephen Minister and also organized mission trips to Merida, Mexico, for the building of orphanages.
Craig had a charming way of making his presence known, whether it was in the stands loudly cheering on his grandkids or on the dance floor cutting a wide rug. But the biggest mark he made in this world was his simple way of demonstrating Christ’s love for others – his family, his friends, his kids’ friends, his grandkids’ friends and complete strangers who were lucky enough to cross his path.
