Obituary of Garland William Craun

Garland Craun, 81 of Bedford passed away on Friday morning November 5, 2021. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Kathleen Craun, wife Thera Jean Craun, sister Karen Sue Craun and grandson, Bradley Harris Lester. Garland was born in Roanoke and raised on Wipledale Farm (North Lakes Subdivision) off of Peters Creek Road in Roanoke. He graduated from Andrew Lewis High School. He attended Bridgewater College where he met his wife, Thera Jean, and later transferred and graduated from Virginia Tech where he received his B.S. in Dairy Science. Garland always encouraged his children to work hard and to always give your best at what you do. He employed many high schoolers during hay season, welcomed school field trips and hosted farm days at the farm. He enjoyed his annual farm trips for many years with the Bedford County Educational Farmer’s Tours. He loved Virginia Tech football and never missed watching a game. He loved watching college football and basketball, and was a die-hard Redskins fan. Garland actively dairy farmed for 30 years until September 1993. A transition was made to retail greenhouse crop production in the spring of 1994 when he and his daughter, Sheryl Murphy, opened Wipledale Farm Greenhouse. He loved taking rides around the farm and seeing greenhouse patrons and long-time friends in the community. He loved giving hugs and always wanted everyone to feel loved and welcomed on the farm. His sense of humor was infectious, and his love for his family was unwavering to the end. His last words were “I love you all so much.” Special thanks to Dr. Daniel Temeles and staff at Blue Ridge Cancer Center, caregivers Tracy Goodman, Allyson Gordon and Wendy Guthrie for their special and loving care to Garland, and the staff at Oakwood Manor Health & Rehab. He is survived by his sisters Elaine Newton and Marilyn (Charlie) Wilkerson; brothers-in-law Dick Grefe, Ron (Janet) Grefe, Terry (Judy) Grefe; sister-in-law, Anne (Steve) Luxford, and former sister-in-law, Jennifer Watson Grefe; his children, Sheryl (Tim) Murphy, Jeanette (Harry) Lester, David (Julie) Craun, and Carolyn (Waymon) Hawkins; as well as eleven grandchildren: Page (Garrett) Galuszka, Rachel and Grant Lester, Hayden, Landon, Harrison, and Liam Craun, and Connor, Elizabeth, Rebekah, and Hannah Hawkins, and many nieces, nephews and special friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to The Sedalia Center, 1108 Sedalia School Road, Big Island, VA 24526, Virginia Tech Dairy Science, Virginia Tech Advancement Division, Office of Gift Accounting, University Gateway Center (0336), 902 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061 or Hunters for the Hungry, P. O. Box 304, Big Island, VA 24526. Services will be held at 2PM on Sunday, November 14, 2021 at Updike Funeral Chapel, Bedford with Sam Williams officiating. Visitation will precede the service from 12pm-2pm at Updike Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Bedford.