Guy Crain and his beloved wife Dotty moved to The Villages, FL from Atlanta in 2011. Guy will be missed by his neighbors, all of whom grew to love him over the last thirteen years.
Born in Rochelle, GA, on January 22, 1932, Guy came from humble beginnings. A self-made entrepreneur, he was an enthusiastic businessman who mentored many and was respected and loved by those who worked for and with him. Guy was always chasing opportunities with a can-do attitude that was infectious. But it was Guy’s tenacity, salesmanship and leadership that created his success. He never met a door he couldn’t open or an order he couldn’t book.
Guy traveled the globe in his business dealings, often accompanied by Dotty, employing unique ways of traveling in countries where he could neither speak nor read the native language, sometimes leading to rather interesting or dangerous situations. Later the couple traveled extensively as tourists cruising the world and visiting every continent.
Known for his quasi-professional pranks and jokes, anyone in his sphere of influence could fall victim. But you knew you were really special if you were the recipient of one of his outrageous parody songs, the performance of which was usually carried out by Dotty and friends/accomplices (because he couldn’t carry a tune), with Guy watching bemused in the background.
Guy perfected the art of grilling a juicy, Pittsburgh-style steak. Once you had tasted his masterpiece, no restaurant could ever compare. He tried a year-long stint of raising butterflies, but feeding these voracious caterpillars was too time-consuming. At least the Monarch butterflies we see now are perhaps the progeny of his original butterflies, generations down the line. Guy took loving care of the plants, trees and flowers that made the Crain yard a living tribute to his green thumb.
When his 92-year-old body could no longer handle the health problems dealt him over the last few years, he died peacefully in his sleep in the early morning hours of May 9, having predicted it the prior afternoon.
Guy leaves behind Dotty, his Trophy Wife of more than 50 years; his daughter Lori Knight; as well as a greatly blended family of Pete Colie, son-in-law; Maria Crain, daughter-in-law; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by Pauline Chambers, his sister; Mark Crain, his son; Susan Colie, his daughter; and Melanie Evans, his granddaughter. Also by beloved dogs Killer, and Lollie (the hypnotically talented Star of the Doggie Circus).
As Guy was aware, no matter how rich you are, no matter how generous you are, no matter how good you look, the number of people who attend your funeral will depend on the weather at the cemetery and whether there is an open bar at the wake. As we plan Guy’s Celebration of Life event, we are taking this into consideration.
A celebration of life for Guy will be held on Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 4 p.m. at the Dignity Memorial Life Celebration Center, 7134 Powell Road Wildwood, FL.