Goodland, Kansas resident and former Coffeyville, Kansas resident, Craig J. Medsker, passed away at his home in Goodland surrounded by his family on Monday, June 17, 2024. He was 49 years old.
Craig was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on August 9, 1974 to Thurman Jerald and Georgia Ann (Adkins) Medsker. He lived in Southeast Kansas growing up, and attended Caney Valley High School in Caney, Kansas where he graduated in 1993. Craig excelled in track and cross-country, going to State Cross Country Meets all four years of High School. He made All-State his Junior year. He also went to the State Track Meet one year of High School. He loved to run. Craig played the drums and trombone during his freshman and sophom*ore years in school. As a teenager, he loved cars. Craig and his dad restored a 1974 Vega, which became his first car.
Craig then went to Ozark Bible College for three years in Joplin, Missouri, and served as a fill-in Pastor in Vera, Oklahoma during his years at Ozark. In 1997, Craig graduated from Missouri Southern Law Enforcement Academy. This began an 18 year career in Law Enforcement.
While he was going to school to be a police officer, he served at the Jasper County Jail in Missouri. His first job in Law Enforcement was in Lamar, Missouri.
Craig moved from Missouri to Caney, Kansas, where he worked in the Caney and Coffeyville Police Departments. He then went to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office where he helped startup the K9 program, serving with K9 Urk. Craig later moved to Cherryvale, Kansas, in 2011 and served as a K9 officer with Quantum, where he met his wife beloved Sarah. They were married on April 21, 2012 in Cherryvale, KS. After their marriage, Craig and Sarah moved to Goodland, Kansas, where he worked for Goodland Police Department and served with K9 Selby. Craig then worked at the Sherman County Sheriff’s office and served as their undersheriff and helped facilitate their new K9 program. In 2015, he ended 22 years of law enforcement service.
Beyond his career in law enforcement, Craig also had a strong affinity for airplanes, contributing to their construction alongside John Topliff in Goodland. In 2016, he began working at the Kyle Railroad where he worked until his passing. This job with Kyle Railroad saw him operating trains between Kansas and Colorado, eventually becoming a skilled train engineer in the latter years of his career, a role he truly cherished.
He loved to travel with his wife Sarah. That is how they spent most of their time. They’ve been to both oceans surrounding the continental United States and the Gulf of Mexico multiple times. Their adventures were often accompanied by their cherished companions, a Standard Poodle Hamilton and a Boston Terrier Jackson. Craig was an avid Oklahoma Sooners fan and loved watching all of the games. He also loved the Buffalo Bills and wished that he could have seen them go to the Super Bowl.
Craig's exuberance for life shone brightly in the eyes of his family and friends. He had a deep passion for traveling, golfing, and cherishing moments with his loved ones, but above all, he adored the company of his friends. As a devoted member of the First Baptist Church in Goodland since 2014, Craig's love for the Lord was evident, having been baptized in water back in 1980 at the Tyro Christian Church in Tyro, KS, where he was also a member.
Craig loved his family, and every holiday he wanted to make sure they got together to cook out, picnic, or make homemade ice cream. He LOVED ice cream! Craig's love for animals, the outdoors, and the beauty of God's creation was reflected in every aspect of his life.
Preceding him in death were his grandparents T.J. “Salty” and Marie Medsker and Jack and Mary Adkins, as well as an uncle Kent Medsker.
He is survived by his wife Sarah of the home in Goodland, his parents Jerald and Georgia Medsker of Caney, KS, his children Caleb Medsker of Pittsburg, KS, Abigail Medsker of Olathe, KS and Olivia Medsker of Coffeyville, KS; his mother-in-law Marvelle Ellis of Coffeyville, KS; his sisters Lori (Larry) Carlson of Alexis, IL, Marcy (Donnie) Splechter of Coffeyville, KS; aunt Becky Newsom of Missouri City, TX; uncle and aunt Ronnie (Debbie) Adkins of Saline, MI; great aunt Martha Oneslager of Coffeyville, KS; and a great aunt and uncle Gene (Darlene) Barnes of Joplin, MO. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, as well as many wonderful friends.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Goodland, KS. A second visitation will be held on Friday, June 28, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM CT at the Ford-Wulf-Bruns Funeral Home in Coffeyville, KS where family will be present from 5:00 to 7:00 PM to receive friends.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM CT at the Westside Christian Church, 402 N. Ohio Street, Coffeyville, KS. Burial will follow in the Robbins Cemetery near Coffeyville.
Memorial contributions may be made out to the Craig Medsker Memorial Fund and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.
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