Albert Brian Craven

Albert Brian Craven died suddenly at home in Valrico, Florida, on March 25, 2019. Brian was born on April 2, 1958, to Peggy McCombs Craven and Dr. Albert Lee Craven, Jr. in Jackson, Mississippi.. In his adolescence he was mischievous and high spirited, always plotting his next adventure. He lived during this time with his family in Clinton, MS, and Oxford, MS, until 1972, when the Cravens relocated to Boone, North Carolina. It was in Boone and at Watauga High School when Brian’s talents with language, written and oral, began to come to fruition. He was a published poet at age 17 and a key member of the nationally ranked WHS Debate Team. After his high school graduation, he went to college at The University of the South in Sewanee, TN. As he matriculated on the mountain he maintained an active social life and shone academically, being named to the prestigious Cap and Gown Society for his senior year at Sewanee. Upon graduation Brian moved to Punta Gorda, FL, to take a job as a newspaper reporter with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. It was there that he met and married Pamela Jean Eisaman, with whom he spent the next 33 years. They raised three beautiful boys together, traveling thousands of miles to watch the boys pursue their passion for inline hockey. While balancing a successful career in public communications, Brian became Pam’s primary caregiver when Pam was stricken by an extremely rare form of ovarian cancer, leading to a 7-year battle with the disease and its complications that ended her earthly life in August of 2015. Her record-setting length of survival and amazing ability to heal taught doctors new things about ovarian cancer, one of the nation's deadliest. A new chapter began for Brian when he met and married Candace Gillpatrick on October 21, 2017. They shared many wonderful trips and adventures together and were anticipating a move to Charlotte, North Carolina in June. Brian’s oldest son, Jon and his wife Melissa had just brought the first grandchild into the world on March 5th when Brian’s spirit suddenly left us on Monday and he entered the heavenly hosts. Brian was a kind, selfless gentleman who made this world a better place with his life. He is survived by his wife, Candace Craven of Valrico, Jon, Melissa and Andrew Craven of Eustis,
Allen and Brett Baumeister of Wellington, FL; Mark Craven of Bethel University in Tennessee; his sister Laura (Lee) Duncan of Hertford, NC and their children, Caroline and Lee; his brother, Dr. Paul Craven of Greensboro, North Carolina; his sister Anita’s children, Edy, Jon and Charlie Dingus and a special cousin, Kirk (Laurie) McCombs and family of Jacksonville, FLA. He was predeceased by his parents, Dr. Albert (Peggy) Craven, his oldest brother, Dr. David Craven, a brother Jon (Patti) Craven and his sister, Anita Louise Craven. He leaves behind many relatives in Mississippi and friends from all over. Services will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 3:00 PM at the First United Methodist Church of Eustis, FL. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Love Your Hockey Mom Foundation/ Grow Hockey Movement Inc at www.loveyourhockeymom.com / www.growhockey.org an IRS 501C(3) nonprofit C-Corp. Tax exempt. Online Guestbook available at www.hardenpauli.com Arrangements by Harden/Pauli Funeral Home, Eustis.