W. Craig Bethel, 96 of East Main Street, St. Clairsville died Monday, June 14, 2004 at East Ohio Regional Hospital, Martins Ferry.

He was born near Flushing on June 23, 1907 a son of the late Otis O. Bethel and Mary Craig Bethel.

Craig was a retired insurance agent and realtor and was the former owner of the Bethel Agency at St. Clairsville. He was a 59 year member of the St. Clairsville Noon Rotary Club with 53 years of perfect attendance. Craig was the founder of the youth baseball program in St. Clairsville and was one of the original members of the Saints Club. He was also a member of East Richland Friends Church, Belmont Lodge #16 F.& A.M., the Scottish Rite Valley of Cambridge and the Salvation Army Committee for St. Clairsville.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his first wife, Anna Lee McFarland Bethel; his second wife, Wilma Gross Sommer Bethel; two sisters, Floy Rinkes and Mildred Morris and a brother Dale Bethel.

Surviving are his sons, Richard Bethel of Cincinnati and Robert L. Bethel of St. Clairsville; stepdaughter, Sandra Svendsen of Wailuku, Hawaii; 6 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Friends will be received on Wednesday 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Toothman Funeral Home, St. Clairsville where services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. with Rev. Wayne Ickes officiating. Burial will follow in the Union Cemetery, St. Clairsville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Clairsville Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 531, St. Clairsville, Ohio 43950.