William "Craig" Atherton

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Craig lived his faith quietly and powerfully – not through words but through a life defined by kindness, generosity, selflessness and compassion

  William Craig Atherton, of Weatherford, a man whose infectious joy for life enriched everyone fortunate enough to cross his path, passed away on June 23, 2026, two days short of his 86th birthday.

  Craig was born on June 25, 1940, to Jewel Grace and Robert William Atherton. His formative years were spent in Wolfe City and later Arlington, Texas – places he loved deeply and where he made many lifelong friendships. It was in Arlington where he met the love of his life, Judy Carr, who would later become his beloved wife.

  Craig graduated from Arlington High School in 1958 and continued his education at East Texas State College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and later a master’s degree in physics. During his college years, he was a founding member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He then attended the University of Oklahoma, where he participated in a doctoral program in the emerging field of computer science.

  Craig and Judy were married on September 15, 1962, celebrating 63 years of marriage this past year. They were blessed with three daughters who were the light of Craig’s life.

  Craig began his career as an educator, first in Grand Prairie, then East Texas State, and Oklahoma State, before moving to Florida as Deputy Director of Oklahoma State University’s Field Office at Eglin Air Force Base.

  In 1977, the family moved to Weatherford, where Craig joined General Dynamics as a Senior Engineering Specialist in the Operations Research Department, later rising to the position of Program Manager for the CASE Department. Over the course of his time there, Craig traveled to many remote and fascinating corners of the world.

  Craig lived his faith quietly and powerfully – not through words but through a life defined by kindness, generosity, selflessness and compassion. He was deeply devoted to his church, serving faithfully in many roles as a leader, mentor and friend.

  Blessed with a talent for humor and storytelling, Craig was truly one of a kind. He received the Toastmasters International Highest Honors in the Humorous Speech contest, with his account of his one-day career as a bull rider, or, as he put it, bull thrower. He dressed as Santa Claus at Christmas parties, was locally renowned for his one-time Elvis impersonation, and often shared stories of his travels — including a memorable trip to the Middle East in the early 1980s, where he humorously discovered that a bidet was not, in fact, a water fountain.

  Craig recognized and cherished every gift God gave him, and he counted his family as the greatest gift of all. They, in turn, feel immeasurably blessed by his years of love, devotion, and wisdom.

  He is survived by his wife, Judy; his daughters, Angela Stock and her husband, Kevin, Amy Atherton, and Ann Decker and her husband, Curt; his grandchildren, Jacob Stock, Lauren Stock-Creek and her husband, Connor Creek, Alex Pitman, Avery Decker and her fiancé, Seth McNab, Caleb Decker, and Aliya Decker; and his sister, Linda Goyne and her husband, Rick; as well as many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.

  Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, June 29th, at the Galbreaith Pickard Funeral Chapel in Weatherford. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30th, at Central Christian Church in Weatherford.

  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Craig’s memory be made to Central Christian Church, 1602 South Main Street, Weatherford, Texas 76086.

 

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