WILLIAM "BILL" WATKINS CRAVEY JUNE 29, 1955 – OCT 15, 2022 William Watkins Cravey, age 67, passed away Saturday, October 15. 2022, at his home in Orlando, FL. He was born on June 29, 1955 in Orlando, Florida, and grew up in Orlo Vista, the son of George and Louise Cravey, and four siblings, David, Carole, Barbara and John. He attended Orlo Vista Elementary, Robinswood Jr. High, and graduated from Maynard Evans High in 1973. During his junior and high school years, Bill played soccer and varsity football. He attended the Florida State Fire School for firefighting and also obtained his medic education. He began his career in firefighting with the Orlo Vista Fire Department, and continued with the Orange County Fire Department working as a firefighter/medic , and an inspector/fire code enforcement officer. In 1999, Bill decided it was time to prepare for retirement; however, he wanted to end his career in the same way he started: that being in the position of firefighter/medic. He retired in 2000, as a Lieutenant with 27 years of service. During his career with the Fire Department, he also attended and received his college degree (in three years) from Florida Southern where he double majored in accounting and finance. Upon retiring, Bill soon decided he was too young to retire so he applied and began working as a reservist with the Federal Emergency Management Assistance (FEMA) Department. His first deployment was to sit on top of a bucket truck and watch as companies unloaded storm debris. He enjoyed this position once he realized what great lenghths some companies would go to in order to receive more pay , such as lining the beds of the trucks with concrete blocks and even people. His next deployment was to Miami to survey debris damage left in canals and small waterways. He and his coworkers did not like this assignment when they realized that the "pet" iquanas, left homeless by the storm, would crawl out on branches over the waterways, fall asleep, and suddenly fall off their branch and land in the reservists' boat. He eventually progressed into reviewing and writing quotes on the city and state commercial level for reimbursement to buildings, firehouses, schools, and like companies for damages from disasters of various kinds. During his nearly 8 year career as a FEMA reservist, he deployed to numerous places in the United States, and to Puerto Rico and St. Croix. Bill thoroughly enjoyed his second career with FEMA as he saw it as a way of helping people and companies in need. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, George Thomas and Louise Halford Cravey, formally of Orlo Vista, Fl. He is survived by his wife, Bobbi-Marie Dutton; brothers: David A. Cravey and wife, Linda, of Mt. Dora, FL; John Cravey and wife, Terry, of Astatula, FL; sisters: Carol Shelton and husband, Michael, of Gainesville, FL; and Barbara Richardson and husband, Roy, of Orlo Vista, FL. Bill is also survived by his stepdaughter, Tina Kidd, and husband, Tim, and their two children, Brandon and Abigail. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews. IN PLACE OF FLOWERS, the family would ask that donations be made to NAMI, a non-profit organization working to educate and assist young adults in living with and coping with bipolar depression in their every day lives. This illness was of great importance to Bill since he, himself, battled with the affects and effects of bipolar depression in all aspects of his life

An informal gathering to honor the life of William "Bill" Watkins Cravey will be held on December 10, 2022, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, at the Country Club of Mt. Dora, 1900 Country Club Blvd., Mt. Dora, Florida 32757. All are welcome to come and share as we reminisce about times we have had the opportunity to share in Bill's life. Feel free to bring a picture and/ or story you would like to share. Light snacks, coffee and tea will be available on which to snack. There is page at Baldwincremations.com where you can sharw comments, stories and sentiments. Simply click on Obits and then type in Bill's name. Please feel free to post this on your facebook/media page to spread the information