Craig Savage

Craig Gordon Savage, 71, died peacefully at home early in the morning on December 6, 2025, surrounded by the love of family and friends, under artful drawings collected over the years. The cause was a pulmonary complication related to liver failure and hemochromatosis. Born in Walsenburg, CO, Craig graduated from Gilbert High School in Arizona (where he was a state quarter-mile track champion) and earned his B.F.A. in metalsmithing from Arizona State University. He moved to New York City where he worked in a studio designing and creating jewelry for, among others, Tiffany’s and Neiman Marcus. It was at New York’s West Side Hwy bar in 1978 that Craig met Dusko (Dusan) Stefoski, the young physician from Croatia (then Yugoslavia), who would soon become the love of his life, world-traveling partner, and ultimately in 2014, his husband. After finishing the Master of Arts Program in Art History in 1981 at the University of Chicago, Craig started a 25-year career as a flight attendant (Midway, then Northwest and finally Delta Airlines), fulfilling the goal of seeing much of the world, emphasizing Far East Asia. When asked what he did before his 2007 retirement, Craig often modestly joked, “I was a bum!” An avid reader of books and well-versed in arts, Craig jokingly argued that both his formal and informal education best suited cocktail party chatter. It was his interest and readings on Holocaust that informed the correct site of tragic endings of some Nazi victims from Croatia. Craig integrated himself in many of his close friends’ children’s academic and extracurricular activities, ranging from homework to football to make-up to home construction, earning the by-now grown-up kids’ lasting devotion and friendship. It would be hard to overstate Craig’s dear heart and sharp, quick wit, even as he neared the end of his life. Craig leaves behind his beloved spouse, Dusko, a Rush neurology professor emeritus who spearheaded innovations in the field of multiple sclerosis. Additionally, he leaves his loving siblings Kim Savage of Denver, CO, Mark (Nancy Hagen) Savage of Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ, Gale (Jeff) Ahmann of Flagstaff, AZ, and his dear nephews Matt Savage and Benjamin (Andrea) Ahmann of Flagstaff, AZ. He also leaves behind many heartbroken friends and family, including sister-in-law Gordana (Arnold) Sirota of Princeton, NJ, Paul Liebenson and Victoria Klem of Wilmette, IL, Bruce Hughes and Randall Hamilton of Des Moines, IA, Ana and Rick Conroy of Chicago, Sara Solla and Predrag Cvitanoviċ of Atlanta, GA, and Lucienne Kicks-Piette of Chicago. Craig was the proud adopted “Uncle Craig” of many, including David (Paula Skaggs), Sam and Michael Liebenson, Rachel and Matthew Klem, Michael and Tricia Katsamakis, Jacob and Nicholas Conroy, the Manzoni brothers, and more. Craig was preceded in death by his nephew Joshua Ahmann, parents William Lafayette Savage and Josephine Allie Savage (nee Goode), and dear friend Mark Olinger, to whom Craig provided great care at the end of his HIV-shortened life. A springtime celebration of life is being planned. Please check back to this website for information. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (https://order.cso.org/donate/i/37?queueittoken=e_csosafetynet~ts_1765299483~ce_true~rt_safetynet~h_add2bc4c3fe694a759b0105fcccc497094917746bb1f03b01343b3117e447d5f), the Lyric Opera of Chicago (https://www.lyricopera.org/support-lyric/donate/) or Rush University Medical Center (https://give.rush.edu/campaign/670760/donate?c_src=A26MAMZJA) Arrangements by Inclusive Funeral Care, 773-318-1305 or www.InclusiveFuneralCare.com.

Craig Savage

December 27, 1953 - December 6, 2025