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Craig Wyatt Virden
Craig Wyatt Virden, 56, of South Orange, NJ, died May 6. 2009. A Memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, at 10:30 a.m., at Second Presbyterian Church, 55th and Oak. Craig grew up in Kansas City, graduated from Southwest High School and then Williams College. He began his career in New York with Curtis Brown Literary Agency, the first of numerous positions in the publishing industry. In 1996, he was named president and publisher of the Random House Books for Young Readers division. He retired in 2002, fulfilling his desire to return to the creative part of children's publishing. Most recently, Craig joined his wife, Nancy Gallt, at the literary agency which she founded. Craig was a remarkable person to everyone he met. His innumerable acts of kindness and remarkable sense of humor were special to a legion of friends. His generous and compassionate heart touched many lives. Craig is sorely missed by his wife, Nancy Gallt, children Emily and Sam Virden, mother Dorrie Virden, sister Carole Virden, and special nephew Grant Gaumer. His father, Robert Virden, preceded him in death. In addition, Craig leaves his three aunts, an uncle, and eight close cousins. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Friends of Mothers 2 Mothers, 511 Avenue of Americas, #639, New York, New York 10011. This organization provides education to HIV positive, pregnant, South African women on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the disease, a cause most special to Craig.
Published in Kansas City Star on June 3, 2009
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Gladys Sabates (Mabry)
Craig was my first Southwest Classmate. We moved to Kansas City from North Carolina at the end of the 1967 school year. My dad, in an effort to keep us from getting bored, suggested to my brother Roland & I that we should enroll in a summer school class at Southwest so that we would make some friends and be familiar with the school before we started classes in the fall. We enrolled in a typing class (with manual typewriters and blank keys) with Mr. Hoover and Craig, Roland & I had an interesting summer school experience. He was always a friend and introduced me to many people my first year at Southwest.Terry Greenberg (Krause)
Loved Craig! So smart, funny, great writer, great singer, great friend. I was walking north on 7th Ave. in NYC one afternoon in 1975 or '76, a speck in the midst of a CRUSH of pedestrians. I had to hold my breath; it was so suffocatingly congested. All of a sudden, all movement came to a halt, and I found myself face to face with Craig Virden. What were the chances? In one second, the crowd, the frustration and all the years fell away, and there we were: two old friends on a street corner. What a doll. Miss you, Craig!Becky Colvin (Wolpert)
At the end of Junior year when we got our class ranks, Craig and I were in order, with him ranking right before me. In my yearbook he wrote, "Keep up the good work; just don't pass me up!" I heard and obeyed! We both moved up a little bit, but I graduated one class rank below him.Hard to believe he's gone. He was fun to be around and will always be one of my SW memories!
Celeste White
Craig and I became reacquainted after high school when I was writing children's books in the late 80s, early 90s, and he was the publisher of Random House's Books for Children. He was so generous in giving me any help he could - but the main thing I remember about him was his warmth and humor. God, he was funny! I evidently didn't know him well enough in high school to realize just what a sharp wit he possessed, even though Bart Brown and I often double-dated with him. In high school, I was primarily struck with how conscientious and intelligent he was. I was very saddened to hear that he passed away, much too young and much too soon.