Kenneth Cravens

Kenneth Francis Cravens

1926-2017

Ken Cravens passed away May 19, 2017 from a sudden onset of severe pneumonia.

Dad was born in Las Vegas, NV to Francis Clifford Cravens and Verna (Howell) Cravens. At the time of his birth, his father was a construction worker on the Hoover Dam and his mother was raising their family before the invention of air conditioning!

Dad retired in 1977 as a Lt. Colonel after spending 30 years in the Army Air Force and United States Air Force. He was a veteran of WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam Era. He was a pilot and flew the B29, B50, and KC97 aircraft.

One of his more interesting assignments was from ’67-’70 with the Military Assistance Advisory Group attached to the American Embassy in Bonn, West Germany. After retiring, Dad owned several different airplanes. He loved flying and continued doing so into his 80s. He belonged to the Order of Daedalians, a fraternal and professional order of American military pilots.

Education was important to Dad. He earned a BS in math, a BA in accounting, and a MS in educational psychology all from the University of Utah. He earned an MBA from UCLA and was fluent in German.

Dad married his sweetheart, Athleen Nelson, on September 17, 1947 in the Logan LDS Temple. They would have celebrated 70 years of marriage this year. He took great pride in telling people how long they had been married.

Dad was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Marjorie Wahlquist and her husband John Franklin Wahlquist; brothers-in-law, Lewis Schofield and William Weaver; sister-in-law, Pearl Cravens. He is survived by his brother Ralph Cravens; sisters Faye (Frank) Phillips and Carolyn Weaver; wife Athleen; his daughter Karen Cravens; his sons; Kent (Vickie) Cravens and Kurt Cravens; his daughter Kerri (Brett) Neville; as well as 9 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held Friday, May 26, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.  Friends may visit family Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.