James Craig Calhoun

On Sunday, June 13, 2021, beloved husband, father, papa, son, brother, cousin, and friend, James Craig Calhoun of Sallisaw, OK, passed away at the age of 64 following a long battle with cancer.

Craig was the firstborn son of Jay Warren and Mozelle (Choate) Calhoun on July 31, 1956, in San Bernardino, CA. A proud Cherokee Nation citizen, he was a seventh generation Oklahoman and 1974 graduate of Sallisaw High School. He put his entrepreneurial talents to work in the construction industry where he started multiple successful companies under the Specialty brand including Specialty Interiors, a general contractor, and Specialty Supply, a construction material supplier, both based in Anchorage, AK. Craig had two sons, Jay Heath and Jarrod, with Jean Marie (Fine) Calhoun. On July 3, 1993, he married Sheryl Noelle (Libby) Calhoun, mother of Michael and Jeston, and together they had Jeffrey.

Craig enjoyed the great outdoors. Closely behind his wife and family, his greatest loves were fishing, hunting, and gardening. An avid and skilled angler, his vast collection of lures, tackle, bobbers, rods, reels, and other gear was rivaled by few and prepared him for trips from Alaska to Mexico. When not on the water, Craig could be found in the wilderness hunting a variety of game, including deer, bison, moose, caribou, game birds, and waterfowl. He was always up for an impromptu hunting or fishing trip with his buddies old and new. On the home front, there was a good chance that you could find him in his well-manicured garden. In true Craig fashion, his annual garden was always far bigger than necessary for the family’s needs. He loved to can and freeze his surplus of vegetables, but he also found great joy in giving away his abundance of produce to others. While his early attempts in the kitchen were suspect at best, in his later years he became a wonderful chef, incorporating wild meats and fresh veggies from his outdoor adventures and bountiful garden into meals enjoyed by many.

Craig was preceded in death by his father, Jay Warren Calhoun, and brother-in-law Scott Rhodes. He is survived by Sheryl, his loving wife of nearly 28 years, his children, and their spouses: Jay Heath and Tracy Calhoun of Tulsa, OK, Jarrod and Lindsay Calhoun of Norman, OK, Jeston and Manja Griffith of Sacramento, CA, Michael and Shai Calhoun of Tyler, TX, Jeffrey and Angel Klontz-Calhoun of Katy, TX, and Nicole and Jan Bruckmann of Florstadt, Germany.  Grandchildren include Chloe Griffith, Maddie Calhoun, Lucy Calhoun, Heath Warren Craig Calhoun, Thomas Calhoun, Jesmine Griffith, David Calhoun, Esther Calhoun, and Clark Calhoun. Craig is also survived by his mother, Mozelle (Choate) Calhoun, mother-in-law Susan Berg, and siblings Donna Rhodes, Susie and Casey Morrison, Lance and Brandi Calhoun, all of Sallisaw, OK, Phillip and Sonnet Calhoun of Anchorage, AK, and brother-in-law Mark Libby of Seattle, WA. Surviving nieces and nephews include: Annie Rhodes, Kelli Smith, Chadasty O’Neal, Ashley Beller, Jay Calhoun, Hunter Calhoun, Ian Calhoun, Aleks Smith, Sydne Adams, Erin Verhagen, Eli Fleener, Travis (Libby) McNeal, Tiffany (Libby) McNeal, Heather Calhoun and Chris Rogers.

A public gathering and celebration of Craig’s life is scheduled for 1 pm Monday, June 28, 2021, at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1101 North Wheeler Avenue, in Sallisaw, OK with a formal memorial service to start at 2 pm. In lieu of food or flowers, the family asks you to join them in donating online in Craig’s memory to The American Thyroid Association or Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

The family thanks the caring doctors, nurses, and staff at M.D. Anderson and Cherokee Nation Health Services who helped give us over a decade of additional memories and adventures.