Mr. Adam Page Craven Sr., 73, of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., died Monday, Oct. 25, at his home after a long illness.
He was the husband of Ruth Craven, his wife of 52 years.
Born July 18, 1926, in Charles Town, W.Va., he was a son of the Rev. William M. and Cerelle Craven.
Mr. Craven attended public schools in Charles Town, and Washington. He attended Storer Junior College and later received bachelor and master degrees in psychology and physical education from Penn State University.
He had taught school and coached in the West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland school systems for more than 30 years, and served as mayor of Harpers Ferry for six years.
He began his teaching career at Page-Jackson High School in Charles Town and in Loudoun County, Va. in the 1950s. He later taught at South Hagerstown High School, where he also served as assistant football coach and head track coach. In 1968, he accepted a teaching position at Frederick High School where he served as head track coach and led the Frederick High Cadets through three championship seasons as head football coach. In 1969, he was named vice principal and guidance counselor Frederick High.
In the mid 1970s, Mr. Craven took a leave of absence from Frederick High School to accept an assistant coaching position at Brown University, Providence, R.I. He later returned to Walkersville High School as a school administrator and maintained his ties with the sports community by providing color commentary for the game of the week for WFMD radio in Frederick. He retired from the school system in 1985 as assistant superintendent of the Frederick County Board of Education.
After his retirement, he was appointed to the position of interim mayor of Harpers Ferry when the elected mayor resigned his position mid-term. He was elected as mayor in the next election.
Mr. Craven served as president and board of directors member of FOCUS (Free Our Citizens from Unhealthy Substances) and as co-director of the summer program sponsored by the Frederick County Department of Parks and Recreation.
He was a member of the local chapter of the NAACP, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, and a former member of the Masonic Lodge.
He served during World War II in Germany with the Special Services, at the Department of the Navy in Washington after the war and as a seasonal park ranger at the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. He worked extensively with "at risk" children.
Surviving in addition to his wife are two sons, Adam Craven Jr. of Blue Bell, Pa., and William Craven of Atlanta, Ga.; one daughter, Melissa Cerelle Craven of Fayetteville, N.C.; two daughters-in-law, Dawn Craven of Blue Bell, and Debra Craven of Atlanta; four grandchildren, Mariah Morgan and Meredith Craven, both of Atlanta, and Page and Ryan Craven, both of Blue Bell; and one cousin, Charles Page and wife Jane of Pittsburgh, Pa.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at Eackles-Spencer Funeral Home, 970 Washington St., Harpers Ferry.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 411 S. Lawrence St., Charles Town, with the Rev. Victor Lawson officiating. Interment will be in Johnsontown Cemetery, Johnsontown, W.Va.
Memorial donations may be made to Friendship Fire Co., P.O. Box 126, Harpers Ferry, W.Va. 25425, or to Hospice of the Panhandle, 2015 Boyd Orchard Court, Martinsburg, W.Va. 25401.
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Published by The Frederick News-Post on Oct. 28, 1999.