Edward Craig Welniak
Son of Edward J. and Alice B. (nee Krajewski) Welniak, born June 25,1954 and born to Eternal
Life March 15, 2022. Ed is preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Catherine E. Welniak
(nee Bury). He is survived by his 3 children Elizabeth (Brian) Cassity, Scott (Jackie) Welniak,
and Kimberly; his siblings Nancy (Ronald) Kopydlowski, Barbara Bury (nee Welniak), and
Christopher Welniak; grandchildren Michael, Laura, Erin, James, Noah, Sean, and Thomas as
well as many other beloved family and friends.
Edward, better known by his family and close friends as “Craig”, was a man with a huge
personality who lived his life to the fullest. As a boy, he was a curious lad who doted on his
parents and learned a love of mechanics at his dad’s knee, becoming very proficient at fixing
cars of all types. As a teen, Craig’s love of cars and music was topped only by his love for his
then-girlfriend, Cathy. Craig and Cathy married on June 18, 1977 and he worked at Oilgear as a
painter for nearly 20 years before following his dreams to Law Enforcement, becoming an
Auxiliary officer for the Greenfield Police Department and Security Officer for Aurora Healthcare.
In his youth, he was also a volunteer firefighter for the City of Greenfield. Craig was an excellent
provider, often working many long hours to care for his beloved wife and children. He was the
kind of guy who loved to help others and could often be found fixing other people’s cars and
small electronics and household appliances. He wasn’t all work and no play, though- Craig was
a fun guy who loved to spend time with family and friends, sharing a beer and pizza and
listening to classic rock, watching movies and classic tv shows, and enjoying social gatherings
of all kinds. Craig loved babies and welcomed each of his children and grandchildren with open
arms and a huge smile. He loved animals, and would always take extra time to show affection
and care to all creatures great and small, and in later life, his adopted cats, Pepsi and Pepper
were his babies. Our dad was our undisputed king of “Dad jokes” and flannel shirts, and could
always be counted upon to ride to the rescue when we needed him. He was also always ready
for a road trip or adventure, often traveling many miles to attend car shows or check out an
interesting restaurant he’d heard about, often including his siblings, wife, and children in his
adventures. Craig lived his life to the fullest, burning rubber across every finish line, grinning,
and exclaiming how much fun he’d had. We’ll miss our original road warrior, and hope he’s
rocking out in the great beyond with all the loved ones who’ve gone before him.