Peter Leslie Craven Obituary (1945

Peter Leslie Craven passed away peacefully on November 27, 2020 at the age of 75 in his home in Orem, Utah, after spending the day surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren. Peter was born in Birmingham, England, to Joyce Young and Bruce Craven, on January 28, 1945. He was preceded into the world by his three older sisters and future collaborators in mischief: Fay, Ann, and Frances. The family was joined 5 years later by the youngest Craven team member, Charles. Peter spent his youth in cahoots with his sisters and brother to stress out his mother by escaping from the fenced-in yard and narrowly missing death by collision with a semi-truck, faking his own drowning, draining the juice from post WWII rationed canned peaches, and setting off a box of fireworks in the front room. Surviving childhood, he passed an equally eventful adolescence. He met some missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and joined the church at age 14. Two years later, he left Birmingham and moved to London where he was an errand boy for the missionaries and, as it is rumored (and vehemently denied), performed a regular gig in a night club. After three years of missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Scotland in the late 1960s, Peter moved to Utah, USA. There, he attended Brigham Young University, earning both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Physical education and was the undisputed racketball intramural champion and campus flirt. He joined the United States Army in 1969 and served his adopted country in Vietnam in the Medevac Corp. He gained US citizenship in 1970 and received numerous other awards and medals as a result of his honorable service. Back in Provo, Utah, he completed his education and met the love of his life, Anita Allen. They were married in 1976 in Los Angeles, CA. Together they have one son, Nate, and 4 daughters, Katie, Jackie, Missy, and Christina, who they successfully raised to adulthood. He had a long career as a respiratory therapist and served patients at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and Orem Community Hospital. Many families in Utah County were positively impacted because of his service in the medical field. He was an active member in his congregation in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many capacities, including as the unofficial greeter, tease, and the token controversial commenter in Sunday School. He is remembered for his happy, easy nature, his quick wit, and his generosity. He was a friend to everyone and Santa Claus for the neighbor children. He loved Beethoven and the Beatles, Thanksgiving dinner, his grandchildren, and his Pepsi. He will be acutely missed and is lovingly remembered as a devoted Husband and Daddy, Brother, Granddad, Uncle Pete, and Brother Craven. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, his 5 children, his brother and 3 sisters, and 7 grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at the Aspen 5th Ward Chapel, 828 West 1600 North, Orem, Utah. Interment, Orem City Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.bergmortuary.com.