Craig R. Lilja

Craig R. Lilja, 69, of Newman Grove, NE, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, April 19, 2021 at his home in Newman Grove, NE.

Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 23, 2021 at the Boone County Event Center, Albion, NE with Rev. Clifford Branson officiating.  There will be a lunch there immediately following the service. Burial will be at Hope Cemetery, Newman Grove, NE. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 -7:30 p.m. at the Boone County Event Center, Albion, NE.

Levander Funeral Home of Newman Grove, NE is in charge of the arrangements.

Craig was born to Rodney and Ruth (Wobig) Lilja on January 12, 1952 in Newman Grove, Nebraska.  Craig attended Newman Grove Public Schools.  He was an active member of the Boy Scouts of America, earning the rank of Eagle Scout.  After graduation he attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.  At UNL he was a member of the Ag Men fraternity and graduated with a degree in Journalism.

After college Craig moved back to Newman Grove and started Lilja Photography.  Over many years, he captured family memories from wedding ceremonies to family portraits for many in Northeast Nebraska.

Craig's life was focused on service to others and to his hometown.  He joined American Family Insurance in 1981 where he spent his life building relationships and providing protection to Nebraska's families across the state.  This year Craig reached his 40 ^th anniversary with American Family Insurance.  Within American Family Insurance, he earned a reputation as a helpful and knowledgeable resource for others in the company.  Over the years he received many awards, and most recently he was honored in 2016 with Nebraska Volunteer of the Year.

The last 45 years of his life were committed to Newman Grove.  In 1975, Craig was a charter member of Civil Defense for Newman Grove (later Emergency Management), serving as its Director for many years.  In 1978 Craig became a member of the Newman Grove Fire and Rescue Department.  He held certifications in Firefighter 1 and EMT (Emergency Medical Technician).  He served as Co-Captain from the mid-1990s through present.  He was Fire Chief from 2011-2021 and held various other positions throughout the years.  He earned milestone awards for each five years with Fire and Rescue, and most recently he was recognized for 40 years of service.

Craig was a proud member of Newman Grove Masonic Lodge 305, and he became a Master Mason in the 1990s.  Craig served as manager of the Newman Grove Pool for many years.  He was also a member of the Newman Grove Clinic board.

Through all the years, one constant in Craig's life was his longtime partner.  In 2014 Craig married Debra (Blokzyl) in an intimate ceremony in Las Vegas, one of their favorite places to visit.

Although he could be gruff on the outside, Craig had a heart of gold on the inside.  One could see that heart of gold when asking him about his cats, whom he adored.  Above all else, he loved his family.

He believed in God and that once he left this earth he would be reunited with his loved ones in heaven.  Among those people who preceded him in death are his mother Ruth in 1997, his father Rodney in 2004, one infant brother, and two brothers-in-law.

Craig is survived by his wife Debra (Blokzyl) Lilja of Newman Grove, Nebraska; brother Ronald (Barbara) Lilja of Norfolk, Nebraska; brother Kirk (Deanna) Lilja of Newman Grove, Nebraska; brother Brent Lilja of Colorado; and sister Jan (Lilja) Benson of Lincoln, Nebraska.  He is also survived by many nieces/nephews and great-nieces/nephews.