CRAIG STUART DARGATZ

November 21, 1952 – April 6, 2024

Chino Hills – Craig Stuart Dargatz was born on November 21, 1952, in Bakersfield, California, and passed away at age 71 on April 6, 2024 in Chino Hills, California.

He was the son of Rollin and Catherine Dargatz, and grew up in Shafter, California where he attended elementary and high schools. He was active as a child and teenager in the Future Farmer's Club, and played on the Shafter High baseball team, golf team, and basketball team. He was an Eagle Scout. He also was active with his father in a “racing pigeon” club, and two years in a row his bird, Big Red, won the 600-mile race and subsequently won a Purina-sponsored trip to New York City and Washington, D.C.

After high school Craig became a farmer with his father–a profession he pursued all his life, most recently as the General Manager of Superior Sod in Chino, California.

Craig was an avid hunter and fisherman, who especially enjoyed deep-sea fishing off the coasts of southern California and Baja California.

Craig attended Calvary Chapel Chino Hills and during his life went on several missions' trips to Central and South America with a pastor friend in the Assemblies of God denomination. He actively supported the Teen Challenge Ministry for several years. At various times he taught small-group Bible classes. He and his sister co-wrote a book titled, “The Last Fully Functional Family.”

Craig developed a habit in the last 20-plus years of getting up at 4:00 am to spend 90 minutes praying, reading 5 passages of Bible Scripture (Law, Prophets, a Psalm, Gospels, and Epistles) as well as devotional passages in several books before heading to work, his fishing boat, or church. It was during this devotional time on a Saturday morning that he experienced an unexpected major heart attack and passed instantly into eternity.

Craig is survived by his loving wife Janie, his sister Jan, his children Jeffrey, and Christi (Tenter), and five grandchildren: Carson and Colby Tenter, and Ava, Lucca, and Beckett Dargatz.

He was a wonderful husband, father, brother, and friend.

Craig will always be in our hearts and forever in our thoughts.

Private family arrangements have been made.

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