Craig Leon Crocker, age 66, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday evening, October 12, 2025, at his residence in Springfield, Mo.  He was born August 6, 1959, in Carthage, Mo.  The family is deeply saddened and shocked by his sudden death.

Craig is preceded in death by his parents, Leon H. Crocker and Joy J. Crocker.

He is survived by his sister, Lynette Walker; niece, April Walker Monaco (Tony); niece, Terri Walker (Jamie, deceased); and their children; Nick Walker, Maddie Walker, Rocco Monaco and Gianna Monaco, all of St. Louis, Mo.

Craig was an avid sports lover, coaching and playing baseball and football in younger years and later in life enjoying the Springfield Cardinals and viewing TV sports.  He also loved the Dallas Cowboys and was a fan all of his life and wore their jacket everywhere he went as seen in the picture above. No one could ever beat him at Trivia if the subject was sports. Craig (or as many people knew him, "Crock") had a lifelong career as a bartender/manager.  He spent most of this time at University Plaza Hotel and Cartoons Oyster Bar coming home many nights with bleeding fingers from shucking 100's of oysters.  No one was a stranger to Craig and he enjoyed lifelong friendships from Alice Pittman Grade School to Hickory Hills Junior High, Glendale High School, class of "77" and then graduating from Missouri State University four years later.

He will be sorely missed by all his family and friends.

Memorial donations may be made to the Prostate Cancer Foundation or charity of your choice.

Funeral service and Visitation will be on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at Klingner Cope Funeral Home Rivermonte, 4500 S. Lone Pine Ave. Springfield, MO. 65804. Visitation will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Funeral service will follow at 4:30 p.m. Entombment in Rivermonte Memorial Gardens Mausoleum will be private.