Craig Black

Craig Black, a longtime resident of Hazelhurst, passed away March 30, surrounded by friends and family.

Craig was born in Elmhurst, Ill., in 1944. His parents, Maynard and Millie Black, bought Keith’s Cliff Resort (renamed Black’s Cliff Resort) on Lower Kaubashine Lake in Hazelhurst in 1947. They moved the family there permanently in 1958. Craig graduated from Lakeland Union High School in 1962. He went on to study geography at Carroll College in Waukesha. After he graduated he studied at Wayne State University in Detroit, then got his masters degree at Arizona State University.

Craig married his college sweetheart Trudy Palmatier in 1967 and then moved back to Hazelhurst to run Black’s Cliff Resort. He took over the resort in 1972 and spent the next 40 years remodeling and rebuilding it. Besides running the resort, he worked at Nicolet College as a geography professor for 26 years. Craig helped build the department by creating labs and a weather station. He also served on the Hazelhurst Fire Department for many years.

In 1996, Craig married Lynnette Kasmarek, whom he loved dearly and spent the rest of his life with. Shortly after, and true to his generous nature, Craig passed the resort down to his children for them to run. After retiring from Nicolet College, and running the resort, Craig and Lynnette would split their time between Arizona, Hazelhurst, and perhaps his greatest passion, traveling. He loved exploring, and Arizona was a great location from which, along with their dogs, Craig and Lynette staged many beautiful adventures in their coach motorhome.

Craig was known for his sense of humor and generosity. If you knew him, you got to experience both. Whether it was helping to repair a table or putting a roof on your house, Craig never declined to help when he could. And at the end of the project, there was no shortage of jokes and jibes shared over a cold beer.

Craig was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred and Maynard Black, and granddaughter, Berklee Adamovich.

He leaves behind his beloved wife Lynnette Black, his brother David Black, sister in-law Deborah Palmatier, three children, Jenny Gibson (Troy Gibson), Katie Black (Bryon Black), and Steven Black (Jennifer Klement), his two stepsons, Jared and Clint Adamovich (Sarah Adamovich), and nine grandchildren.

Bolger Cremation & Funeral Services is assisting the family, www.bolgerfuneral.com to share condolences with the family.