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Medford, Oklahoma
Craig Arthur VanDeburgh passed from suffering into
glory on Monday, March 16, at Community Health Center in Wakita, Oklahoma.
He endured the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease while present with us but now
lives healed and complete in the presence of his Savior, Jesus Christ.
Craig was born on March 15, 1961, to Lester Scott and Lela Jane VanDeburgh of Elmwood, Oklahoma. He grew up on the family’s dairy farm with his older brother Steven, older sister Tami and younger brother Douglas. Craig thrived on the farm. He worked hard with his family and enjoyed regular visits from aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. He and his family faithfully attended the First Christian Church in Beaver throughout his childhood. Following graduation from Beaver High School in 1979, Craig left home for Dallas Christian College in Texas to pursue training for ministry in the church. After graduating from college in 1984, Craig attended Cincinnati Bible Seminary in Ohio to work toward his Master of Religious Education. He graduated in 1988 ready to serve the Lord.
Craig returned to the Oklahoma panhandle to preach the Word in the First Christian Church of Forgan. He returned to his home church in Beaver in 1989 to serve as youth minister for a few years. In 1992, he began to minister to the grieving hearts of Community Christian Church in the Texas panhandle. It was there in Perryton where Craig’s pastoral ministry comforted a congregation who had recently lost their beloved young pastor to accidental death. While serving in Perryton, Craig met his beloved while at Boiling Springs Christian Service Camp near Woodward, Oklahoma. Julie Butler was living nearby in Seiling, serving as youth minister in the First Christian Church. They met in June of 1995 and were married on October 14, 1995—four short months later, in Community Christian Church in Perryton. There, they welcomed their first child, Andrew, in February of 1998.
With his growing family, Craig accepted the position of pastor in the First Christian Church in Medford in November of 1998. There, he and Julie welcomed their second child, Garrett, in April of 1999. Craig was a warm, tender husband to Julie and a very involved and doting dad to his boys. They were his crowning glory. He was very proud of the man that Andrew had become and was pleased when Andrew married his lovely wife, Jessilyn. Craig was the perfect dad for Garrett. He loved Garrett and helped him through a lifetime of training and therapies to overcome physical and neurological challenges. He loved his bonus daughter Britnie. She and her family brought him great joy and laughter. He was very proud of all his children.
Craig loved his Medford congregation! Early in his ministry he served the youth—meeting with them weekly—teaching them to love Jesus as he did. He taught Sunday School, he supported missions, he accompanied the kids to church camp, he formed a praise band, he taught guitar lessons, he comforted the lonely, he visited the sick and dying and he preached. He preached God’s Word until he could no longer. The congregation honored him with a lovely retirement party on December 12, 2021.
Craig is preceded in death by his parents, Jane and Scott VanDeburgh; his siblings, Tami Hernandez, Douglas VanDeburgh and Steven VanDeburgh; his uncle, David Reiswig; his uncle, Gary Reiswig; his aunt, Kay Reiswig; his cousin, Caitlyn McOsker; his uncle, Charles (Chuck) Lightfoot; and his uncle, Dewey VanDeburgh.
Craig is survived by his wife, Julie of the home; his son, Andrew (and Jessilyn) VanDeburgh of Arlington, Virginia; his son, Garrett VanDeburgh of the home; his bonus daughter, Britnie (and Cody) Nibarger of Waukomis, Oklahoma; his grandchildren, Tate and Maelee Nibarger of Waukomis, Oklahoma; his aunt, Emma Lou Lightfoot of Alva, Oklahoma; his nephew, Danny (and Erica) Hernandez of San Antonio, Texas; his nephew, Joshua VanDeburgh of Weatherford, Oklahoma; his niece, Gentle VanDeburgh of Oklahoma City; his niece, Leah (and Jason) Williams of Amarillo, Texas and many loved cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and fellow ministers of the Word.
Funeral service for Craig will be Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Medford, Oklahoma. Viewing will be on that same day from 9:30 a.m. until service time. Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Medford. Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home Inc. Website: www.lanmanfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made out to the First Christian Church of Medford.
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