Craig Haviland

MIDDLETON/MINOCQUA-Craig R. Haviland, age 66, passed away at home in Minocqua on Saturday, June 3, 2017. He was born on April 13, 1951 in Flint, Mich., to Dick and Dottie Haviland.  He was the oldest of three children. Both sets of grandparents lived nearby and took great pride and joy watching him grow up. His childhood was spent in Michigan, New York, and West Virginia, but Wisconsin was the state he would call home. The family moved to Green Bay in 1967 and Craig graduated from East High School in the class of 1969. He attended both UW- Madison and UW-Green Bay, graduating from UW-Green Bay in 1973.   Craig returned to Madison after graduation, a city that he loved and lived in for the next 42 years. Besides the vibrancy provided by a capital city and college town, Craig loved the lakes around Madison and all of the activities they made possible.    In 1985, Craig married Susi Ayars Wyss. They were married for 23 years and together they raised their son, Paul, and Susi’s twin boys, Jeremy and Quince. These were busy years full of soccer, hockey, football, lacrosse, as well as sailing, white water paddling, and summer vacations at Crystal Lake. Craig was a devoted father.   Craig’s warm, engaging, personality and strong people skills made him a natural for sales. He enjoyed a successful career that spanned nearly three decades as a salesman for both Badger Medical (later PSS) and Schilling Supply Company. For the past six years, Craig enjoyed sharing his many interests with his friend and companion, Diane.  Upon his retirement in 2015, they moved to his beautiful lake house in northern Wisconsin and made it their year round residence.  There, they enjoyed all that this wonderful setting provided:  exploring the back roads and trails by motorcycle, cruising the lake on their pontoon, fishing and canoeing in the summer, native “ricing” in the fall, snowmobiling  and ice fishing in the winter, and enjoying  Craig’s smoker grill cooking all year round.   Craig loved treating family and friends to his famous barbequed ribs on the grill, which were an all- day process - a fact that he let everyone know! He was equally proud of his most recent accomplishment of smoking and grilling a turkey.  After dinner, summer guests would be treated to a personally guided boat tour of the lake.  In the winter, Craig would make the most amazing fires. And there were always entertaining stories and lively conversation.   Craig loved animals. Most of his life he had a cat, a dog, or both. One cat kept him company for 21 years! For the past 12 ½ years, his constant companion has been his dog, Marli. They connected at first sight and always shared a special bond.   Craig had an incredible breadth of knowledge and a wide range of interests and hobbies, making him an interesting and animated conversationalist. He loved hunting, fishing, bird watching, guns, boats, motorcycles, music, reading, following the stock market, watching the Packers and the Badgers, and participating in a wide variety of outdoor activities. He was a life-long learner.    Craig had a great sense of humor. He had a hearty laugh, a quick wit, and a great smile with an ever present twinkle in his eye. He had a natural warmth and charisma. He made friends quickly and easily and could be counted on for good counsel and sound advice. Craig was equally at home in a room full of people or by himself in the north woods watching the eagles, listening to the loons or keeping track of the hummingbirds at his three feeders. He will be missed greatly by everyone who knew and loved him.    He is survived by his son, Paul Haviland (wife Krystle);  his mother, Dottie Haviland; his loving  friend and companion of the last six years, Diane Willyerd; Paul’s mother, Susi Haviland; his stepsons Jeremy and Quince Wyss; his sister, Lynne Haviland Seiber (husband Tim);  his brother, Rick Haviland (wife Michele); his uncle, Jack Pratt and seven nieces and nephews.   Craig was preceded in death by his father, Richard Layne Haviland, Sr.  A Memorial Gathering will be held at GUNDERSON WEST FUNERAL & CREMATION CARE, 7435 University Ave., Middleton, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, with a Celebration of Life beginning at 5:30 p.m.   Memorials in Craig’s name may be gifted to the charity of one’s choice. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com