Episcopal Press and News
Bishop Craine of Indianapolis Dies
Episcopal News Service. December 29, 1977 [77425]
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The Rt. Rev. John P. Craine, 66, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis since 1959, died in a local hospital on December 24 after a long illnes. He had been hospitalized since the latter part of November and underwent surgery a few weeks before his death.
Bishop Craine had announced his intention to retire in April, 1978, and a Bishop Coadjutor, the Rt. Rev. Edward W. Jones, was elected and consecrated last summer.
Bishop Craine had served as bishop coadjutor of the diocese from 1957 to 1959. He had been a dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis for four years prior to his election to the episcopate.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he was graduated from Kenyon College, Cambier, Ohio, in 1932, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He received his B. D. degree from Bexley Hall in 1932. Kenyon awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1952.
His ministry included parish work in Cleveland, Ohio; Santa Barbara and Oakland, Calif.; and Seattle, Wash. He was active in all phases of the work in the Dioceses of California Olympia, and Indianapolis. He was a deputy to four General Conventions before his election to the episcopate.
For several years Bishop Craine was chairman of the General Convention's Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church and of the House of Bishops' Committee on the Dispatch of Business. He was former chairman of the board of the Episcopal Radio-TV Foundation, Atlanta, Ga., and was a trustee of a number of institutions.
Bishop Craine's wife, the former Esther Judson Strong, died in 1973. He is survived by one son and two daughters.
A requiem mass was held December 27 at Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis with Bishop Jones as celebrant.