Craig D. Trowbridge

Craig Denny Trowbridge, 64, of Lansing, New York, passed away at Strong Memorial Hospital on January 29, 2024.

Craig was born on February 22, 1959 to Robert and Justine Trowbridge in Watertown, NY. Craig grew up in the small village of Adams Center, which meant many hours playing outside and riding his bike around the community with his brother, Bruce. 

Craig attended high school at South Jefferson High. He was active in athletics and loved soccer, basketball, and golf, and he was a member of the National Honor Society. His first car was a two-seat sports car with a faulty speedometer - a minor detail to Craig. 

After Craig graduated high school with honors in 1977, he followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and attended Cornell University where he studied animal science and agricultural economics. At Cornell, Craig met his future wife, Maureen, when she attended a party at Craig’s fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR). Craig was the social director at AGR and was the chief party planner. He loved dancing with Maureen and introduced her to White Russians, among other things.

Maureen knew Craig was serious when he pulled a park bench out into the middle of right field so he could chat with her while she played in the end of year AGR softball game in Stewart Park (a game he wasn’t otherwise involved in). 

After completing his studies at Cornell in 1981, Craig began work at the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension. He quickly worked his way up from program assistant to interim Executive Director during his time in Jefferson County, and he obtained a master's degree from Clarkson University along the way. In 1998, Craig transferred to Cornell University and began working as a Regional Ag Team Support Specialist, a position he would hold for the rest of his career. Working at Cornell was more than just a job for Craig. He was truly passionate about supporting regional agriculture teams, helping them implement new techniques and stay up to date as research evolved.

In 1984, Craig and Maureen finally got married in Swampscott, MA and started their life together in Watertown, NY. They played a lot of golf until they welcomed their first daughter, Kelly, in 1986. They continued to run and cross country ski, often with one going out the door as the other arrived home from work. In 1989, their second daughter, Colleen, was born and in 1993, their third daughter, Erin, completed their family. During this time they moved to Adams, NY where the young family purchased their first home.

As a dad of three girls, Craig quickly learned some new life skills. He became proficient at doing hair, was a regular attendee at tea parties, and he always appreciated the fashion shows that accompanied back to school outfits. Craig was at every soccer game, track meet, and swim meet, often returning early from work conferences to make it in time. He could be found drying the girls hair while singing “It’s Amore” (when the moon hits your eye…), and he always made sure to ask if they wanted a cool buzz cut like him before their haircuts. In September 1998, the family moved to Lansing, NY for Craig’s new job at Cornell.

Craig was an avid golfer, cyclist, and cross country skier. In 1989, he came in third place in his age group in the Miller-Lite Beach and Bike Duathlon. He also competed unofficially in the Boston Marathon that same year.  He had a great appreciation and love of music, attending many concerts over his lifetime. Craig was always rocking out and quizzing his daughters about each of the bands he loved to ensure they had a strong classic rock education. 

Nothing gave him greater pleasure than watching his three daughters grow up. You could see the pride and joy in Craig’s face at each of their weddings as he watched them start a new chapter of their lives. He was even more overjoyed when the grandkids started arriving. He was a sucker for the grandkids, with the infamous story of his grandson Connor wanting a red car instead of a blue car and confidently telling his mom, Colleen, “don’t worry, Papa will get it for me”. And sure enough he did! The next time Papa came to see Connor, he had a red car in hand. 

Craig developed meaningful and rich relationships with his sons-in-law, making sure to text them after their favorite team won, or planning golf outings together. 

Craig is survived by his wife, Maureen Trowbridge, his father, Dr. Robert Trowbridge, his brother and sister-in-law, Bruce and Adele Trowbridge, his daughter and son-in-law, Colleen and James Dowd, and their two sons, Connor and Denny, his daughter and son-in law, Erin Trowbridge and Drew Fosque, and his son-in-law and grandson, Joe Shekiro III and Jackson Shekiro, as well as many other loving family members. He is predeceased by his mother, Justine Trowbridge, and his daughter, Kelly Shekiro.

In lieu of flowers, we welcome donations to the American Heart Association or Donate Life America. Craig once organized an in-hospital walk-a-thon for the American Heart Association where he, other patients and friends walked 3 miles by doing 55 loops of his hospital unit while waiting for his heart transplant.

• Click to donate to American Heart Association

• Click to donate to Donate Life America

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A memorial will be held on Saturday February 10th, from 10am to 1pm, at Cornell University’s Moakley House. All are welcome to join.

Craig will always be remembered for his kindness, his dry sense of humor, and as the favorite son-in-law, and he will be deeply missed.