Moe Craddock
Encyclopedia
N.L. "Moe" Craddock was an American firefighter who helped create the city of Glenn Heights
, Texas
(USA
).
Craddock grew up in Lancaster
, where he graduated from high school in 1953.
He worked several jobs, including for three years as a lineman for Dallas Power & Light, before joining the Dallas Fire Department in 1958. He served as a firefighter and engineer driver before becoming the driver for the chief at station No. 36 in West Dallas
.
It was while still with the fire department, that Craddock opened a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) mobile home park. This precipitated his civic interests in the area. He helped push for the incorporation of Glenn Heights in the late 1960s to prevent his business from being annexed by the neighboring city of DeSoto
. The city was incorporated on September 16, 1969.
Craddock became active in city politics, first as a city council member between 1972 and 1975, then in 1984-85 and 1988. He served as the city's mayor in 1985 and was elected to that office in 1988, 1990 and 1992.
After retirement, he served on the boards of directors of HILCO Electric Cooperative
, which led to board positions with Brazos Electric Cooperative Inc.
and San Miguel Electric Cooperative Inc. He is also credited with helping found the Bank of DeSoto, of which he was director.
He was married to Sylvia Craddock. The couple had one son and two daughters.
Craddock died March 4, 2008 at the age of 73. He was traveling aboard the M.S. Amsterdam
cruise ship, which was off the coast of Vietnam
, on his second around-the-world cruise, when he fell ill. According to The Dallas Morning News
, he developed sepsis and died from complications from diabetes. He was buried in Tree Cemetery in Duncanville
.
Two streets in the city of Glenn Heights, Craddock Drive and Craddock Circle, are named after him.
Glenn Heights, Texas
Glenn Heights is a city in Dallas and Ellis Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 7,224 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glenn Heights is located at ....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
).
Craddock grew up in Lancaster
Lancaster, Texas
Lancaster is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. The population was 25,894 at the 2000 census.Lancaster is a suburb of Dallas, Texas and is part of the Best Southwest area, which includes Lancaster, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, and Duncanville. Most of the city is in Dallas County. But a...
, where he graduated from high school in 1953.
He worked several jobs, including for three years as a lineman for Dallas Power & Light, before joining the Dallas Fire Department in 1958. He served as a firefighter and engineer driver before becoming the driver for the chief at station No. 36 in West Dallas
West Dallas
West Dallas is an area consisting of many communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas . West Dallas is the area bounded by Interstate 30 on the south, the Trinity River on the east and north, and the Trinity River's West Fork on the west....
.
It was while still with the fire department, that Craddock opened a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) mobile home park. This precipitated his civic interests in the area. He helped push for the incorporation of Glenn Heights in the late 1960s to prevent his business from being annexed by the neighboring city of DeSoto
DeSoto, Texas
DeSoto is a city in Dallas County, Texas . Over the past eleven years since the 2000 U.S. Census Report, the City of DeSoto has grown in population from 37,646 to 49,047....
. The city was incorporated on September 16, 1969.
Craddock became active in city politics, first as a city council member between 1972 and 1975, then in 1984-85 and 1988. He served as the city's mayor in 1985 and was elected to that office in 1988, 1990 and 1992.
After retirement, he served on the boards of directors of HILCO Electric Cooperative
HILCO Electric Cooperative
HILCO Electric Cooperative is a non-profit rural electric utility cooperative headquartered in Itasca, Texas, United States, with a district office in Whitney, Texas and a district office in Midlothian, Texas....
, which led to board positions with Brazos Electric Cooperative Inc.
Brazos Electric Power Cooperative
Brazos Electric Power Cooperative is an electrical generation and transmission cooperative based in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1941, it was the first cooperative in Texas established for the purpose of generating and supplying electricity, and is currently the largest in Texas.Brazos operates four...
and San Miguel Electric Cooperative Inc. He is also credited with helping found the Bank of DeSoto, of which he was director.
He was married to Sylvia Craddock. The couple had one son and two daughters.
Craddock died March 4, 2008 at the age of 73. He was traveling aboard the M.S. Amsterdam
MS Amsterdam
MS Amsterdam is a cruise ship owned and operated by Holland America Line and is named for the city of Amsterdam in northern Holland. She is the line's "Pacific Flagship" and is a sister ship to . She is the co-flagship of Holland America Line along with the Rotterdam.As with Rotterdam, Amsterdam...
cruise ship, which was off the coast of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, on his second around-the-world cruise, when he fell ill. According to The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
, he developed sepsis and died from complications from diabetes. He was buried in Tree Cemetery in Duncanville
Duncanville, Texas
Duncanville is a city in Dallas County, Texas . Duncanville's population was 36,081 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 42,500 in 2008. Duncanville is a suburb of Dallas and is part of the Best Southwest area, which includes Duncanville, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, and Lancaster.-Geography:Duncanville is...
.
Two streets in the city of Glenn Heights, Craddock Drive and Craddock Circle, are named after him.