Sgt. Adam Daniel Craig, 23, of Cherokee passed away Friday, March 4, 2011, at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., following a courageous battle with cancer with his family by his side.

Services were Saturday at Washington High School Gymnasium in Cherokee. Chaplain Lt. Col Merrill Muller officiated. Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Adam Craig, the son of Pam (Kolpin) Craig and Dan Craig, was born Oct. 23, 1987, in Storm Lake, Iowa. His childhood years were spent in Cherokee, where he attended school and graduated from Washington High School in 2006.

Craig enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard's Detachment 1, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry in Le Mars, Iowa, in December 2004. He had been deployed to Afghanistan prior to being diagnosed with cancer.
The family of Sgt. Adam Craig stated, "Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. He was a loving and caring son, brother, husband, soldier, grandson, nephew, cousin, son-in-law and all-around friend. Adam's unique sense of humor and caring smile will be missed by all. His love for children and life in general will leave an impact on all who knew him."
Adam is survived by his mother, Pam (Kolpin) Craig of Cherokee; father, Dan Craig of Fremont, Neb.; a sister, Abigail Craig of Cherokee; his wife, Hailey B. (Wynia) Craig of Sioux City; half sisters, Brianna and Madison Craig of Fremont; mother-in-law, Shari Parker of Sioux City; brother-in-law, Jestin Van Maanen of Sioux City; his grandfather, Ronald Craig and stepgrandmother, Garnet (Adams) Craig of Storm Lake, Iowa; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Janet (Wieland) Kolpin of Cherokee; grandfather, Harlan Kolpin of Newton, Iowa; and grandmother, Virginia (Dykes) Craig of Loveland, Colo.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the family, with memorial contributions being made to the National Institutes of Health and the Children's Inn, in Adam's Memory.