Greenbelt is mourning the loss of longtime Board member Al Craig, 82, of Essex, who passed away in September.
Craig, who first joined the Greenbelt Board of Directors in 2007, was noted for his love of the land, draft horses, cows, and tractors, his obituary reads.
Craig taught student machinists at Greater Lawrence Vocational High School for 18 years, but it was at the Topsfield Fair that “he found his true calling.”
Beginning in 1986, Craig served as General Manager of the Fair for 20 years, “bringing a fresh perspective to the educational and agricultural departments of the fair,” according to his obituary.
His love of draft horses, his obituary reads, led him to bring a draft horse show to the fair, and it is still a major event during fair week. He was a founding member of the Yankee Draft Horse Association.
In addition to his work for Greenbelt, Craig served on the boards of Farm Bureau, Essex County Co-op, Essex Technical School, and was involved in local 4-H.
In addition to his wife, Caroline, Craig is survived by his son, Barton, and daughter-in-law, Sheila, of Providence; his daughter, Lisa Kriz, and son-in-law Glenn Kriz, both of Ipswich; and his grandchildren: Douglas Kriz, Sophie Craig, and Bridget Craig.