Craig Ortale

Remembering “Pops” – Craig Ortale (1936-2025)

Nothing we could write could even come close to capturing the magic that was our beloved Pops … THE Man. THE Myth. THE LEGEND! Craig Ortale, the king of our family, passed away on July 10, 2025. We are heartbroken but incredibly lucky that he was with us for 88 of the most amazing years and that he absolutely adored and appreciated the very full and memorable life he lived.

While it’s impossible to put Pops’ life into a few paragraphs, we know what he’d want most. He’d want to express to YOU, just how very much each of YOU who are reading this meant to him. Whether he met you in 1971 at a Kresge or Kmart store, golfed with you just once or a hundred times in The Villages or his beloved Wyndgate, spent time with you at the horse track or the Indy 500, you were a neighbor, a friend of his kid, you bonded over Iowa Hawkeye sports at a bar or crossed paths with him at a restaurant … or if you valeted his car ... or took care of his lawn ... or even carried his golf shoes to his locker — he remembered YOU, he knew YOUR name … he could tell a story about YOU … and YOU were instantly important to him. He had a zillion friends. He loved everyone. And they loved him back. Pops was one of a kind. He NEVER thought he was old … which is why he stayed so young! He was curious and brilliant, ALWAYS up on the latest trends. He was funny and witty and kind. Sensitive and unbelievably charming. Forever a positive spirit … amazingly generous and always grateful. “Life is good,” was the attitude he lived by.

Pops never left the house without a hanky and a huge wad of bills in his pocket and a dietCoke (always in a small bottle with a twist-off cap!) in his hand. He read the newspaper front to back every.single.day to stay current. Retail was in his blood. He could spend HOURS just walking the aisles of Costco observing and taking notes about what was new! A true Candy Buyer at heart (by far his favorite and most iconic career move ever!) — his absolute favorite food group was sugar … and he could eat licorice, jellybeans, Cadbury eggs, m & m’s and ice cream for every meal! He couldn’t rave enough about Caitlin Clark or Apple stock and was always the first to have alllll the latest and greatest Mac things. He absolutely never met a stranger and by the end of a random conversation with anyone, he’d know all about that person’s life and family, they probably took a selfie and they’d be old pals — he was truly the master of connections.

Pops was surrounded by family during the last few years of his dementia struggle. He is survived by his daughter Gina Cullen (Atlanta, GA) and her children Drew Cullen and Riley Garcia (Miguel) and great-granddaughter Cullen. His son, Steve Ortale (Birmingham, MI), wife Krissy, their kids Carter, Griffin (+ fiancé Elle) and Kendall; and son Mike Ortale (Atlanta, GA), wife Robin and three boys Brooks, Bennett and Luke; along with incredible love and support from Barb Millhouse (The Villages) and Meghan Sullivan (Ann Arbor, MI).

For years Pops has been honored by a giant flag (of course he has a flag!) that flies at his club in Michigan every Club Championship season. But not to be outdone by them, his family had our own tribute flag made of him and raised it each time Pops was “in the house” visiting the gang in Atlanta. And though Pops has left us for now, his flag will forever fly high in our hearts.

We love you Pops … you lived a BIG life and were A LEGEND and a gift of the VERY BEST kind to all whose lives you touched.

In honor of Craig ... let’s all go ahead and order that dessert, pour another glass of wine, strike up a conversation with a random person, leave a really big tip to make someone’s day ... and root for the underdog – just the way he would have wanted.

Go Lions. Go Hawkeyes. Rest well.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Craig Ortale, please visit our floral store.