William "Eddie" Craven

Eddie Craven, 45, passed on from this life into the next on July 11, 2021 after a valiant 16-month battle with cancer. He was born on February 20, 1976 to Bill Craven and June Wilson in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is the proud father of Dylan Craven, 18, and Reese Craven, 15. He met his wife of 13 years, Amanda at work, and they were married on March 17, 2008, and lived in Little Rock, Jonesboro, and Maumelle.

Eddie worked at Metro Appliances and More for almost 18 years. During that time he served as the general manager of stores in Little Rock and Jonesboro, and finally as regional manager and a member of the Board of the Directors. He started in inside sales but was willing to first learn the warehouse, delivery and accounting in order to understand the business. He soon moved to outside sales, where he brought in multiple national accounts and vendors. Traveling all over the US and to Europe, Eddie enjoyed a fulfilling career with Metro, a job that came to him while enjoying one of his other great passions, playing golf. It was during a game with Todd Krauser, the current president of Metro, that he was offered the opportunity to come to Metro.

Eddie began playing golf at an early age. His familiar refrains were: “Read it, Roll it, and Hole it.” and “Drive for show, Putt for Dough.” He would take his kids on the golf course and let them drive the golf cart around while he practiced a few putts at sunset. Eddie achieved great success as a golfer, winning many awards over the years. He was the Classic Shootout winner and the Mayor's Cup Captain seven times. He won seven Club Championship titles, two Match Play titles, the Oktoberfest title, and back to back 4-Ball titles all at Maumelle Country Club.

Eddie also enjoyed fishing and hunting. He hunted geese, ducks, turkeys and deer. And he loved to be out on his friends’ farm. Eddie’s outdoor passions afforded him lots of time with his loved ones. Once he made a friend, he stayed close to them for life. Eddie didn’t move on from friends, but would just add new ones. He could be found often with his friends or his kids outside fishing, hunting or sitting in a golf cart watching the sunset on the back 9.

Eddie showed the same care for his work and life that he did for his friends and family. He didn’t just play golf. He made sure the course he loved was in great shape. He would take his golf cart out and clear limbs off the course with ropes and a chainsaw. He bought a cordless weed eater so he could take care of any extra weeds on the course as he came across them. Eddie loved to just be out doing things.

Most of all, Eddie loved his family. Folks who knew them said it was obvious how much he and Amanda loved each other. He adored his kids. They traveled often together, and spent lots of time in their favorite spots in Arkansas, hunting with Dylan and friends at the duck camp, watching Reese at gymnastic meets, and enjoying Lake Hamilton with extended family.

Eddie is preceded in death by his stepfather, Jimmy Wilson. He is survived by his wife Amanda Craven, his mother June Wilson, his father and stepmother Bill and Sherry Craven, his sister Whitney Loibner and husband Peter, his stepbrother Gregg Brannon and wife Misty, and his children Dylan and Reese Craven.

Honorary pallbearers are: Wilson Loibner, Campbell Loibner, Parker Brannon and Jackson Brannon.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Glioblastoma Foundation . A visitation will be held on Sunday, July 18th, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main Street, North Little Rock. A memorial service will be held on Monday, July 19th outdoors at 6 p.m. on the #10 hole of the Maumelle Country Club, 100 Club Manor Dr., Maumelle. Casual or golf attire requested. Rather than wearing a suit, come like you’re meeting Eddie on the golf course for one last game. A celebration of Eddie’s life will follow at the clubhouse from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Arrangements by Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home , 1921 Main St, North Little Rock, AR 72114, 501-758-1170.