Sharing Craig Saylors' (Retro Red) Memorial Service

**Ayin McFye** · 28th August 09, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Galician

Anyone who attended the service care to share the experience or photos?

The services last night were amazing. There was around 400+ people in attendance. Craig had touched the lives of so many people and was so well loved. There were lots of tears and lots of laughter last night. To all those that knew Craig he would have wanted it that way. Amazing stories of his life were shared and I am honored to have been given the chance to be a part of the full and wonderful life that he lived. Some of the stories included details about Craig's hatred for "rules". It was Craig's hatred for rules that led him to being a full time kilt wearer.

The story goes like this: Many years ago at his company where he worked, a company dress code was modified/enforced that employees could no longer wear shorts, and that men must wear slacks from now on. Craig hated this rule, and hated that women could wear skirts that allowed for much better ventilation and air flow especially on hot summer days. Craig then proceeded to purchase a utili-kilt and wear it to work. His management didn't like much the idea, but told Craig that he could wear his kilt to work on Casual Friday's and any other "Celtic Holiday". Craig then proceeded to research every single celtic holiday in existance to wear his kilt to work as much as possible.

Craig also spent 4 years in the Air Force, which is also where he met his wife Diane. Diane was an officer, and Craig was Enlisted. Well as most of you know Officers are strictly forbidden from dating an Enlisted members of the military. They secretly dated for a while, and eventually Diane asked permission from her superiors to marry, and they gave her permission. It was also mentioned that along with Craig's hatred for rules, he hated the fact that he had to salute his wife. Apparently he would do whatever it took to get out of saluting her, including sneaking up behind her, or just not being wherever she was so he didn't have to do it.

These are only some of the stories that were shared last night, but many wonderful things were said, and I am a richer person to have known him.

The photo/video slideshow at the end was professionally done and was an amazing tribute to everything that was Craig. The stage at his church was decorated with a wide variety of the things that Craig owned and defined who he was.

This is the only picture that I took from last night, and it's a picture on my phone of the stage, and all the items that were his.

Slainte.

**Spartan** · 28th August 09, 10:04 AM

Ayin about summed it up. There were several XMarker's there. In addition to Ayin and myself, there was MuffinMan, Catdad and his wife, Sionnach and his wife, Thunderbolt, and Drobin. I spotted another man wearing a tartan kilt, but didn't get a chance to talk with him. Not a member of XMTS, but a friend of several of us, Len Wood was the piper. Here's the service folder.

Diane expressed to me her sincere appreciation to XMTS. She read through all of the comments and condolences posted in the threads on XMTS.

**Santa Wally** · 28th August 09, 10:26 AM

Aiyn and Spartan,
Thank you for your posts. It was very meaningful to read them and see the photos for those of us that couldn't be there and who had not had the pleasure to have met and been in the company of Craig. It looks like that was one meaningful and proper send off.

Godspeed Craig.

**Catdad** · 28th August 09, 10:38 AM

I would add the family rememberances were done by Craig's brother and sister with an assist by his brother-in-law. Len did an awesome job on the pipes!

**Galician** · 28th August 09, 11:05 AM

Thank you for sharing, Ayin, Spartan and Catdad. Seeing the kilt suit hanging there empty makes me think of the riderless horse one sees at a military funeral.

**GMan** · 28th August 09, 02:00 PM

Thank you for the report.

**Panache** · 28th August 09, 02:04 PM

Gentlemen,

I appreciate you sharing Craig's memorial with us

Jamie

**JRB** · 28th August 09, 02:11 PM

Do I see a Charlie Brown shirt on the stage? If so that proves even more what a cool guy Craig was. It's great to know how just how many people he touched during his time on our little blue marble.

**MuffinMan** · 28th August 09, 02:13 PM

They had a professional video done of Craig's life and towards the end alot pictures of Craig with the Saltire among various locations in this great State, with many of the crowd going what's going on with the blue blimp?

MM