Obituary of Craig Martin MacLean

Craig Martin MacLean, beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away in Englewood, Florida on November 12, 2021, after an 18-month battle with cancer. Born in Ridgewood, N.J. on October 13, 1938, Craig spent much of his youth living abroad with family. Upon returning to the United States, he served in the U.S. Army and then earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Brooklyn College in 1964. He furthered his passion for military history and political science by pursuing graduate studies in Politics and Government at Princeton University. He subsequently spent 7 years in academia, first as an Assistant Professor of Government at Oberlin College (1969-1975) and then as a visiting professor at Gettysburg College (1976). He found his true home, however, in the non-profit sector, where he devoted 35 years to Horizon Goodwill Industries in western Maryland. There, he worked tirelessly to provide training and employment opportunities for underrepresented individuals within the region. As Horizon Goodwill's Executive Director and CEO, Craig grew the organization from 3 to 17 stores, adding donation processing, training, and resource centers in western Maryland and West Virginia. Craig was most proud of his efforts to partner with other service providers and employers to ensure that those who came to Goodwill for assistance received not only skills training and vocational services but also a network of opportunities to connect with the resources each person might need. A strong advocate for women, Craig provided encouragement, training, mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for women throughout the agency, several of whom have moved on to manage their own non-profit agencies. In recognition of his stewardship, the Horizon Goodwill Board of Directors honored Craig by naming the Corporate Headquarters in Hagerstown the "Craig M. MacLean Career Development Center." Craig was a quiet man with a great sense of humor and keen intellect. An avid reader over the course of his life, Craig built his own library of books and loved to be surrounded by them. On any given evening he could be found reading, often several books at once. Craig continued his love of travel throughout his life with his wife and friends; exploring Alaska, the Galapagos, Peru, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Europe. He also enjoyed scuba diving, attending concerts, bowling, and spending time with family. He loved his family most of all, and took great pleasure in the company of his wife, children, and grandchildren. Craig is survived by his wife of 56 years, Abby MacLean; three children, Ken MacLean, Heather MacLean Thomas, and Jennifer MacLean; and 7 grandchildren (Ascher, Camilla, Rylan, Wyatt, Ellery, Willa, and Cooper). He also leaves behind his sister and brother-in-law, Gail and David Rose, and extended family throughout the United States. A Celebration of Life will be held December 4, 2021 at the Roses 8242 Lakeside Dr. Englewood. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Community Foundation of Washington County, Maryland, specifying the donation to go to the Craig M. MacLean-HGI Scholarship Fund.