Craig Collier

Craig “Cragar” Collier passed on to be with our Lord on December 6, 2021 peacefully at home, surrounded by family after a brief illness.

The second of four boys, he was born and raised in Saranac Lake in 1964. He graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1982, then earned his associates degree in psychology from NCCC. He began his career with Niagara Mohawk, currently National Grid, as a meter reader in 1988. A year later, he landed the traveling operator position which he held for nearly 32 years - the second longest operator in the company to date. He operated seventeen substations as well as the hydro plants until they were sold off from the company. He went from jumping in and out of a pickup truck 300+ times a day reading meters, to operating substations with up to 115kv at the end of a 30-foot stick usually in very bad weather (or the middle of the night, or both) to help restore power. If you ever asked him what he did he would tell you that he “turned towns on and off”, but usually on.

Growing up, he and the neighborhood gang of friends enjoyed playing frisbee in the NCCC parking lot and riding motorcycles in the sand pit before the dorms and gym were built. He, as his brothers and his friends, often tested his mother’s nursing skills. Broken bones and trips to the ER were so common that Craig knew all the positions for the radiologic technologists. He played hard, but never broke a bone on any of his motorcycles. He became the local champ of the wheelie - his best was a quarter mile. He was also quite an accomplished rider on his Honda 350X three-wheeler, his pride and joy.

Like every one of his brothers, Craig started playing hockey at a very early age. But, unlike his brothers, he wanted to play goalie. In fact, he wanted it so bad that he had to pretend to not know how to skate in order to get that position. Needless to say, he succeeded and played throughout high school where he and his friends broke off from the team and created a team of their own and did quite well in the Northern Division. As an adult, Craig enjoyed teaching youth goalies and played on the local men’s team when he could.

Craig always loved music and keeping a beat. He taught himself to play drums as a teenager and worked his way up to his double bass drum kit that he purchased in his late twenties. He especially enjoyed (and certainly tested his neighbor’s patience) when one of his friends would set up his drum set next to Craig’s and they would play at the same time.

Craig earned his nickname in high school after the Cragar Wheel company since he was such a car nut and they were his favorite wheels. He loved all things motorsports - if it had an engine, it was on his TV. He enjoyed attending car shows so much that he decided to organize a local show with a couple of his friends at the Saranac Lake Civic Center - raising a good deal of money for the benefit the Civic Center. In the winter, Craig would drive an old rat so he could drive something fun in the summer. One of his best decisions was to sell his Corvette and get an old Camaro – a beloved 1989 IROC Z-28. He convinced his wife Barbara and his parents to make a trip to Pittsburgh, PA to buy and help transport the car that he would cherish for fourteen wonderful years. His love of cars and motorsports drove his desire to routinely watch shows and races on TV and in person - from NHRA races at Maple Grove to see the top fuel dragsters to NASCAR races in Daytona. Sharing this passion with his wife turned her into a bit of a motorhead as well!

Craig was always fascinated by magic and the techniques that magicians used for their tricks and illusions. Inspired by great performers such as David Copperfield (whose show in Burlington was so memorable), Craig started his own magic repertoire and puzzled locals at the Downhill Grill with his pen through the dollar bill trick and the cash to card trick.

Like his passion for motorsports, Craig also had an affinity for the shooting sports and had a wealth of knowledge of firearms - from pellet, to paintball to pistols and long guns. Craig made the mistake of teaching Barbara how to shoot starting with a .45 ACP. After brushing off the initial intimidation of it, she was his shooting partner. They often enjoyed visiting the Saranac Lake Fish & Game club to shoot some rounds.

In short, Craig was a kind, loving, generous gentleman who had a genuine smile for everyone and will be dearly missed by his family and friends. From goalie, to drummer, to traveling operator, he always wanted to be the guy in the background that helped make things work for others.

Craig married to the love of his life Barbara L. Grudowski on July, 4 1998, St. Mary’s Church in Potsdam, NY with her Uncle Monsignor Robert J. Grudowski officiating. They spent the next 23 years together with such love.

Craig was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Marion and Harry Passino, his paternal grandparents, Bernice and Jonas Collier, his father, William C. Collier, his Uncles, Alden “Bud” Collier and Jonas Collier, his aunt Patricia Ann Mary “Pam” Turner (Passino), and one brother, Jamie Collier. He is survived by his loving wife of 23 years Barbara Collier, his mother Janet “Dee” Collier of Saranac Lake and Leesburg, Florida, his aunt June Pearce (Collier) of Marietta, Georgia, his older brother William Collier of Crown Point, NY, his younger brother Richard Collier of Arlington, MA, and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. Craig’s family will receive friends at St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake on Saturday, December 11, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. A funeral Mass of Christian burial will immediately follow at the church follow at 12:00 Noon with Rev. Patrick Ratigan officiating. Burial will follow at St. Bernard’s cemetery. Donations in Craig’s name may be made to High Peaks Hospice, the Saranac Lake Volunteer Rescue Squad or the Tri-Lakes Humane Society.