Mary Ellen Craig, 91, of Rapid City died Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at Hospice House in Rapid City. She was born to Elsif and George Doran near Dallas, South Dakota, on May 26, 1918 and moved with her family to a farm near Hayes, SD, that same year. She graduated from Ft. Pierre High School in 1936 and went on to earn a two-year teacher’s certificate from Northern State Teachers College. She taught first graders until her marriage to Ralph Craig in 1941. Mary Ellen devoted the next 24 years to raising their family and helping with many community and church projects. In 1965 she returned to college and earned a BS in elementary education from BHSC in 1968, graduating along with her daughter Carole. She taught first grade in the Rapid City public schools until she retired in 1976. She was a member of the Black Hills Retired Teachers, AAUW, and PEO.Mary Ellen is survived by her children: Bill (Dianne) Craig, Rapid City; Carole Craig Goehring (Vern) Minneapolis; Jim (Becky) Craig, Lusk, WY; grandchildren: Todd (AJ) Craig of Colorado Springs, CO, Jason (Melanie) Craig of Deltona, FL; Lee (Lisa) Goehring of Wayzata, MN; Jeff Goehring, Minnetonka, MN, Karl (Laura) Goehring, Grand Forks, ND; Katie (Greg) Masie, Craig, CO; Seth (Jessica) Craig , Bloomington, MN; 7 great-grandchildren: Joshua Todd Craig, Colorado Springs, CO; Carly & Leah Goehring, Wayzata, MN; Aurora Goehring, Houston, TX; Arthur Goehring, Minnetonka, MN; Halle and Lily Goehring, Grand Forks, ND. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ralph, her sister Grace and her brother George.