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(April 29, 1943 – April 26, 1943)
After a very full life, our dear Craig Boydell died on April 26th, 2023. Loving husband of Ingrid for 46 years. Loving father of Michael (Kim Acres), Patrick (Bronwyn Davidson), Kai, Nora, and Kari (1984-1985), and loving Grampa of Jackson, Troy, Duncan, Haley, and Griffin. Craig will also be missed by his brother, Bruce, as well as Joan, Mark and Amy and their families, and by the Arnet Connidis family, Lilla (Andrew Connidis 1926-2015), Kristine, Michael (Roy Parish, 1951-2014), Justin (Julia McArthur), Angela (Davit Zargarian), Stephanie (Mark Brown), and Melina (Tony Heard) and their families, along with close personal friends from over the years - you know who you are.
Craig began his fulfilling and multi-faceted career at Western University as a Sociology Professor. As an administrator, he played a pivotal role in creating the BMOS program. A gifted athlete, Craig was out training for a marathon one day when he ran past the football stadium and was struck by a desire to return to his life-long love of sports. He then joined Health Sciences and became the Head Men's Basketball coach for 14 years, retiring with a career record of 327-122. Whether he was swinging Ingrid around the court after a big win or jumping right into strategy for the next game, his belief in the power of sports to uplift communities shined through in his care for his players' lives off the court. Craig dedicated the last chapter of his career to developing and teaching an experential seminar on Sport and Community Service for senior athletes. He and his students worked together on community outreach projects and organized powerful events like the Gulu Walk.
Craig was a colorful, creative, and funny person with varied interests, among them, road trips, golf, singing, fishing, comedy, our dogs, and card games. He took immense pride in his family and their unique personalities and lives, and perhaps most of all, their love for one another. He regularly expressed gratitude to his family for looking out for each other and for looking after him as well. We in turn are so thankful for his enduring love and support and for being our most ardent cheerleader. Craig also valued loving relationships with his extended family and close friends, including colleagues, students, and the many players who still call him "Coach."
We are very grateful for the excellent care provided by the staff at the London Regional Cancer Program, led by Dr. L. Saini, over the many months that Craig met the challenges of MDS and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. Dr. Saini, his team, and the nursing staff displayed outstanding expertise, compassion, positivity, and a good sense of humour - Craig especially valued the latter. In lieu of flowers, Craig asked those who can to please donate blood, a way to honour the many people who gave blood for strangers like him. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
Craig kept his family laughing through the last weeks of his life with his signature playful banter. He wanted everyone to know he died a grateful and happy person.
Happy Birthday Craig. Celebrating you now and always.
To plant a tree in memory of Craig (Connidis) Boydell, please visit Tribute Store.
[Published on April 29, 2023 The London Free Press Obituaries Online]
Click here to read the obituary in the Sport Pages of the London Free Press.
Jimmy Walker wrote:
It is with sadness that I report that Craig Boydell passed away on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. His daughter Nora writes "He was sleeping peacefully beside my mum (Ingrid) when he passed. All four of us (me, Kai, Pat, and Mike) had a chance to have special time with him in the days and nights before and he was surrounded by our company and love. We will miss him greatly. Friends like you were very important to my dad." In talking to Craig in recent weeks he asked me to let his friends know when he passed and I thought that the website was the best way to communicate that. He remained positive despite his failing health and spoke often about Fair Lawn and his many friends. Today would have been his 80th birthday. Attached are links to his obituary[below] and a London newspaper article which provide information about his life, family, and his many academic and athletic accomplishments [above].
Click here for a summary of some his Cfaig's career accomplishments written when he was inducted into the FLHS Athletic Hall of Fame as a “special” honoree for his life-long athletic accomplishments on October 6, 2018. https://lfpress.remembering.ca/obituary/craig-boydell-1087494819
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Ronald LaPoff
We weren't close friends but he was one of the nice guys!RIP!
William Camp
From elementary school through high school, Craig was a good friend. Certainly a good athlete and great personality. Enjoyed catching up with Craig at our 50th class reunion, Condolences to his family.
Bill Camp
Robert Shapiro
it seems my life can be measured by Craig's, we have known each other for so long and, I think, admired each other not necessarily as close friends, but as boys and men making the trip together-seeing each other frequently when young, less and less as we grew older and had gone our separate ways. My last time with Craig was about 5 years ago in Florida. We spent a full day together hanging out, playing golf and really catching up.
Why was I not surprised that Craig succeeded in the sports world. He was an amazing, versatile athlete. We literally developed our sports skills together, competing with and against him in little league and going on to play baseball and basketball in high school, the two of us as co-captains of the baseball team. Craig, I felt, always had an advantage built into his baseball ability. His father Jess was a successful little league coach. Craig got all the right stuff from his dad 24/7. He was not only skillful at many positions, he was quietly but intensely competitive. This carried over to basketball, where we played lots of time together as teammates and competitors in local games.
I always felt Craig would be a leader. His eventual career at the University of Western Ontario as its basketball coach, probably its most successful coach according to an obituary I read ( his modesty is demonstrated by him not mentioning his record there when we were together in Florida, which is a quality he carried as long as I knew him--and from which I learned, helps frame his total persona). Who he was and how he was were great lessons for me as I developed out of the sports realm. We were so different in so many ways, but we got along well and I think helped each other when we were teammates. My one regret was not being able to attend his induction into the Fair Lawn Sports Hall of Fame. When he invited me, I explained with difficulty that my stay in Florida conflicted with his date-- and, frankly, I am kicking myself ever since that I didn't make the effort to honor him.. I have heard that Bob Wright was there. A star in his own right honoring a respected fellow athlete.
Bob Shapiro
Craig's was a life well lived. Good for him. And good for us.