He was born to Betty and Lloyd Sievert on April 4, 1950 in Eldora, Iowa, the third child after Cynthia and Diane, then followed by Rick and Debby. They lived in Hubbard, Iowa – with a population of only 500 – where his family published a weekly newspaper. In 1961 the family moved to Seward, where his family bought into a newspaper. His parents later worked for the Lincoln Journal Star.
Craig graduated from Concordia High School and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. However, a back injury prevented him from serving in the Navy and he was later drafted into the U.S. Army and served from July 29, 1970 to Feb. 22, 1972. After his military service he enrolled in what is now Southeast Community College in Milford and received an associate degree in computer science. His entire professional career he worked in Data Processing for the state of Nebraska, February 1974, to August, 2018.
Craig and Janet Sievert were married Oct. 15, 1983, when Craig, Janet and Dan began their life together. Joel was born in 1985.
Craig was a man of many and varied interests. He delighted in gardening, cooking and cookbooks, flowers, music – with eclectic tastes from classical to jazz to country western – as well as attending Husker football games and fine arts programs. He enjoyed and was self-taught in woodworking and carpentry, plumbing and electrical wiring. He was an avid reader and avid book collector.
Survived by wife, Janet, of Lincoln; sons and daughters-in-law, Dan Deitemeyer and Karrie Simpson, of Lincoln; Joel Sievert and Kyla Linde, of Lubbock, Texas; grandson, Eliot Linde Sievert; mother Betty Hall, of Lincoln; siblings Cynthia Thorson of Omaha; Diane Svoboda of Seward; Rick Sievert of Lincoln; and Debby Duffek of Lincoln; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
A memorial service will be held at Roper & Sons Midtown Chapel, 4300 O St., Lincoln, at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 12.
Memorials in lieu of flowers to:
· Community Crops, a program of Family Service of Lincoln, 501 S. 7th St., Lincoln, 68508 (communitycrops.org). Checks should be made out to Family Service Lincoln with notation the check is designated for Community Crops.
· PanCAN, part of Pancreatic Cancer Action Network that funds research, provides patient/caregiver support, conducts community outreach and advocates for increased federal research funding for those affected by pancreatic cancer. Donate at pancan.org or mail donations to PanCAN Donation Processing Center, PO Box 5041, Boone, Iowa, 50950-0041.