Michael G. Craven

Michael Craven, a Skywest pilot and life-long aviation enthusiast, passed unexpectedly on December 11th, 2016 at the age of 51, at his home in Elbert, CO. Michael is survived by his wife, Suzan Craven; his dog, Rudder; his mother, Mary Craven; his brother, Aaron Craven; his father-in-law, Robert Stroud (Mavis Yunge), his brother-in-law, Michael Stroud (Lisa), his sister-in-laws, Faye and Debbie Stroud, his aunt, Sue Kempf (Chuck); his nephews, Kaden, Connor, and Jason and his nieces, Camryn and Lauren. He is predeceased by his father, Gary Craven; and dogs, Shadow, Drake, Faith, and Boomer. Michael was born in Cedar Rapids, IA on August 14th, 1965. He served his country in the United States Marine Corps from March 12th, 1984 through June 15th, 1990. During his 6 years, 3 months, and 3 days of service (Michael would appreciate the accuracy) he attained the rank of Sergeant while assigned to the Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin, CA. From there Michael joined the Federal Aviation Administration on December 7th, 1990 and retired in August of 2015. During his 25 years of service he was a Tower Controller at both Stapleton and Denver International Airports. On August 24th, 2015, Michael stepped into his dream job, becoming a First Officer for Skywest Airlines, serving until the time of his passing. It was May 10th, 1992, when Michael married Suzan, the love of his life and one true co-pilot. Michael was an aviation fanatic embracing every aspect of the field, volunteering wherever possible. This led him to memberships in the Colorado Pilots Association, American Bonanza Society, Experimental Aircraft Association, and the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association. His desire to contribute didn't stop there as his other passion in life were the animals he and Suzan adopted and cared for as their own furry children. Combining his loves in life led him to be a volunteer for the Retriever Rescue of Colorado, and an extremely active rescue pilot for Pilot-N-Paws. Michael found joy in all aspects of their life in Colorado, truly embracing the outdoor spirit. You could constantly find him camping, hunting, boating, skydiving, scuba diving, wakeboarding and boating. He loved traveling with his wife and friends, quick to take any opportunity to explore the country and its historical sites, especially if that included some flight time. Of course you could always find him at a home game for the Denver Broncos which he and Suzan constantly attended, or cheering for the Nebraska Cornhuskers as required by his marriage. Michael Craven was a devoted and loyal husband, fur-father, friend, co-worker, and genuinely kind person who gave of himself freely at every opportunity. He will be deeply missed by friends, family, and all who were blessed to have known him. Please leave your condolences for the Craven family in the guestbook below.