Craig R. Tool

Craig R. Tool, 60, of Newton died on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, at his home.

A visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, at the home of Marian Benac, 625 N. Second Ave E. in Newton. Memorials in Craig’s name may be left at the visitation or at the Wallace Family Funeral Home.

Craig, the son of Vernon L. And Winona J. (Baty) Tool, was born on July 31, 1952, in Newton. He graduated from Newton Senior High School in 1970. Following graduation, Craig began working at the Maytag Company in Newton. Craig was united in marriage with Loretta M. Benac on Sept. 14, 1973, in Newton. Craig worked at the Maytag Company for 31 years, retiring from the Machine Shop in 2001. He then continued to work inside the Maytag facility for Mid-Iowa Tools until 2004. In 2006, he became a Para-Pro for the Newton Community School District where he had worked at Berg Elementary for the last four years.

Those left to honor Craig’s memory are his wife, Loretta of Newton; daughter, Holly (Rick) Degen of Moline, Ill.; two sons, Joel and Skyler Tool, both of Newton; his grandchildren, Colton, Conner, and Noah Degen; mother, Winona (Warren “Barney”) Clark of Newton; his two sisters, Wyvonne (Greg) Bell of Newton and Shelly (Randy) Salasberry of Newton; and a step-brother, John (Kari) Clark of Kansas. He was preceded in death by his father, Vernon R. Tool in March of 1983.