Obituary of Craig William Messimer

Craig William Messimer, king of spontaneity, made his dramatic exit from this world on October 15, 2020 at 2:54 pm at the ripe age of 64. There was never a dull moment when in the presence Craig – he took great joy in keeping those around him ‘on their toes’, for which they were often rewarded with rounds of roaring laughter. He was, at his core, a party animal who loved to be the center of attention; he knew how to captivate a large audience with “slightly” embellished stories and animated theatrics. He excelled at finding creative ways to exercise these cravings – like dressing in full clown uniform, face paint included, and making surprise visits to the elementary school classrooms that his children attended. Craig also liked to impress his company by showcasing his culinary skills; he prided himself on feeding people treats they have never consumed or even heard of, and took great pleasure in introducing his children’s friends to the world of venison and ethnic cuisine. There was one particular event where this backfired though – he prepared a red sauce for a dinner party he attended featuring the uncommon ingredient ‘beaver meat’, which everyone seemed to enjoy, but he refused to disclose the true contents of the dish until the end of the party (which may or may not have earned him a slap that night). When Craig decided he was going to get involved in something, he dove in headfirst. From his presidency of the local Beagle Club, to his takeover of the Rush-Henrietta travel soccer program, to his election of Commodore of the Red Jacket Yacht Club, he liked to take the bull by the horns. He conducted and judged field trials at the Beagle club (while tasking his wife to help care for 15 beagles at the house), he helped put Rush-Henrietta competitive soccer on the map (secretly rewarding his players for aggressive play and even making opposing children and parents of elite programs cry by defeat), and championed several large scale projects at the yacht club (including the construction of a roasting pit for full-size pigs and a new Independence Day club tradition). If you could not tell by now, Craig was not a man of moderation; whatever you thought you might need, he multiplied it by three. This was his approach to nearly everything – when he cooked, you knew you were going to have enough leftovers for at least a week (and just prayed there was enough room in the refrigerator), when he picked up a new hobby, even the most proficient professionals would not desire better equipment, and if you mentioned you liked something, you better make sure you have space at your residence to store a lifetime supply of it. He was a generous giver and loved to shower his friends and family with gifts. He would always return from his frequent world travels with mementos for his three children and never hesitated to upgrade their sports gear to give them every advantage he could. Craig also had a deep passion for music; he often organized family fieldtrips to live shows and had a CD collection that would make a radio station green with envy (recall the tendency for moderation). His musical palate was as diverse as his flavor palate – he loved jamming out to Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi and could be found frequently watching recorded concerts of Bruce Springsteen and Santana in his living room late at night, but would also be found dabbling in Maroon 5 and at one time, Sean Paul. His passion for music was contagious, and his musical tastes undoubtedly influenced those who spent any significant amount of time around him. There is no question that Craig made a significant impact on all those he graced with his presence, particularly his surviving family members – wife of 37 years, Roberta Pelusio Messimer, children Jacob, Danielle, and Jordan, and vast extended family fortunate enough to have experienced his wrath. His ashes will be freed to roam the waters of Cayuga Lake in front of the Red Jacket Yacht Club, where he cultivated a slew of close friendships and countless fond memories for his friends and family. Any who would like to honor the memory of Craig may make donations to the Verona Street Animal Society PO Box 22874 Rochester, NY 14692 where he spent time volunteering and nurturing his love for dogs.

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