Craig Canady is gone, but I think we’ll see him again(Caelan Canady asks a Question)

Craig Canady died back on Saturday and even though he has left this earthly world, I think we will see him again, some day in the future….

Here is the obituary for Craig Canady, and I must say I was surprised when I read this last night(Sunday/Monday) at around midnight, during my evening check-in, of the News and Record online obituary report….

MAY 13, 1966 – SEPTEMBER 14, 2019 Craig Alan Canady went to his heavenly home on September 14, 2019. He was born May 13, 1966 in Greensboro and had resided in Browns Summit since 1994. He was a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He leaves behind his wife of 25 years, Teresa Rumley Canady and son, Caelan Scott Canady. Craig was preceded in death by his father, Henson Turner Canady, Jr. In addition to his wife and son, he is survived by his mother, Minnie Sue Johnson Canady, brother, Curtis Canady (Rita), as well as many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Always with quick wit, Craig never met a stranger. He loved and cherished his wife and son. A devoted and dedicated father, he took great pride in watching Caelan grow and succeed.

Read more from Craig Canady obit when you CLICK HERE….Excellent photo of Craig as well, along with the obit….

Now you might wonder what’s the backstory on Craig Canady?

I was his teacher back in 1980 and 1981, and I remember Craig from those classroom sessions, in 9th grade Physical Science and 10th grade Biology…

Back in those days, I was teaching and coaching at Vandalia Christian School, down on Pleasant Garden Road and Craig was an aspiring student looking to learn a thing or two, from an aspiring teacher…

I saw Craig back in those days, on a daily basis, but when Craig Canady was finished and moved on from high school to his regular adult life, I didn’t see him again for around 30-35 years, and then one night he walked up to me and spoke at a Greensboro Colt Baseball game, there at War Memorial Stadium, and I was really shocked to see him out at the ole’ baseball game/ballgame, since I hadn’t thought of him as a huge sports fan, back in those days at VCS/Vandalia Christian School….

But Craig Canady had discovered sports and baseball in particular through his son Caelan, and Caelan was playing some decent baseball for the Northeast Guilford Rams’ Colt Baseball team and then I also learned that Caelan, was part of the high school team, out at Northeast Guilford, and part of the Rams’ pitching staff…

Caelan Canady was a very good pitcher and even though I had trouble remembering how to spell his name, I found myself printing his name quite a bit, as the next few years rolled on….
(Man, that was a tough name to spell, but Craig would correct when I got it wrong and thank the good Lord, for cut and paste, which led me on in my haste.)

I was seeing Craig Canady just about as much then in the Spring and Summer(around 2014), as I did when I saw and knew him at Vandalia, back in the early 80’s…

The thing that impressed me the most about the adult version of Craig Canady, was his determination and devotion to help and support his son…Craig was not a big-time athlete back in his day, but his devotion to his son Caelan, and what Caelan was trying to with his baseball career, got my attention and was very admirable…

The adult Craig Canady was very proud and very supportive of his son Caelan, and Craig made sure Caelan had everything he needed to make his high school and amateur baseball career work…

I remember one night down at the stadium I was talking to Craig about his son’s team and Caelan came walking up and he started talking, and he asked the question that was and is, always very hard to answer…..

Caelan wanted to know what his dad(Craig) was like back when he was in Caelan’s shoes …..

“What was my dad like, back when he was my age?”, said Caelan….

A big grin and a real solid smile were on Caelan’s face, as he asked that question…..And I told him that his dad was sort of goofy at times, but he was a good kid and Craig Canady was a big kid…He must have been about 6’3 and weighed around 230-240 pounds….
(That’s a very tough question to answer, the kid wants details, but you have to be careful how you give your response, and you don’t want to come off sounding like a mule/donkey/jackass.)

“Just a big kid(Craig Canady) with a sort of southern/country twist about him and he did just enough school work to get by and always make sure, he made the correct grades”…

Caelan Canady was a kid with a smile on his face when heard talk about his dad, from back in the day, and Craig Canady was a man and devoted father with a large smile on his face when he watched his son play baseball….

Craig Canady, a name from the past and a name for the present, and I still think a name for the future, because I think we will see him again, somewhere and sometime down the road…

The adult Craig Canady was different from the high school-age Craig Canady and Craig will never be counted out for the amount of time he spent supporting his son, Caelan….A proud dad and I’m sure many of Craig’s old classmates will be thinking of him this week, as they read and find about his death, and I hope they will remember and read about the adult Craig Canady, because I just have to say he turned out real good, and he did a good/great job of raising his son Caelan…

Line up for Craig; Will Summers, Jeff Edwards, Baron Haga, Paul Bivens, Teal Stanley, Chris Lewis, Chip Shelton, Derek Reed, Rene Smith, Carla Poplin, Lisa Moser, Debbie Gaines, Melissa Henderson, Sherry Korn, SharaLee Guye, Leslie East and others and remember your friend and brother, Craig Canady, and say a prayer this week for the family of Craig Canady, and especially remember Craig’s wife Teresa Canady, and his son Caelan Canady…

This post written as a tribute to Craig Canady and as a way to honor his memory for his son, Caelan Canady….