Jack B. Crahan Retired Chairman and CEO Flexsteel Passes

Furniture World News Desk on 11/29/2015

Flexsteel reported that Jack (J.B.) Bertsch Crahan, the retired Chairman and C.E.O. of Flexsteel Industries, passed away peacefully on November 19 at 8:17 pm at Unity Point-Finley Hospital.

Jack was born on August 24, 1923, in Galesburg, IL, and raised in Long Lake, MN. At the age of 14, at the end of the Great Depression, he started his own turkey farm. He started with a few turkeys, which turned into a rafter of over 100 turkeys. By Thanksgiving, his hard work paid off handsomely. He was a quick study of what worked and what didn't work, which became his model for his life.

He graduated high school at the age of 16. He then enrolled at the University of Minnesota, majoring in aeronautical engineering.

That's when young Margaret "Peggy" Furey entered his life, with her bright blue eyes, high-fashion style, and Irish grace. It was love at first sight. They wed on September 9, 1944.

Jack and Peggy Crahan lived their lives guided by their love of God. In fact, they built their four-generational family firmly ground in their love of God and practice of their Catholic faith.

During their courtship, Jack enlisted in the Naval Air Corps. He was in the top 10% of his class as a naval cadet, and selected to be a Marine Fighter pilot in WWII. Inspired by an unparalleled love for his country, and the quintessential American, Jack served in WWII as a highly decorated fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater. J.B. was awarded the Victory Medal in 1945 and became the top replacement in the legendary fighter pilot, Joe Foss's 2nd Squadron, the VMF-115 in the 1st Marine Air Wing, known as "Joe's Jokers" for its emblem of the Royal Flush with a "Joker" on the Corsair tail. After the war, he was sent to Peking to patrol the Great Wall of China in defense of Nationalist China. In 1946, he returned home with the China Service Medal. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross with four Oak Leaf Clusters, having flown in combat in the South Pacific, the Philippines, Okinawa and China.

Jack was called back to duty during the Korean War. Captain Crahan flew Sikorsky helicopter rescue missions behind enemy lines to recover the wounded and the dead. Jack returned home to Minneapolis after his tour of duty, again highly decorated.

Jack joined Flexsteel in 1947. Jack along with Sam Santillo, moved the Metal Division to Dubuque in 1955. In 1965-66, J.B. spearheaded the metal move into recreational vehicles (RV), when Winnebago requested that Flexsteel build frames for them. Jack came up with the phrase, "It's all furniture, but this is just furniture that goes down the road." At the height of the RV business, Flexsteel generated $98 million worth of revenue. Flexsteel became the leader of the RV business. Jack helped take Flexsteel public in 1969. He became the President andC.O.O. of Flexsteel Industries in 1985. In 1990, he became Chairman of the Board and C.E.O. He retired in 1998. He was an icon and leader in the American furniture industry and the Iowa business community.

Jack was very civically active and served on many boards over the years, including Dubuque Bank and Trust, Loras College Board of Regents, United Steelworkers Pension Trust, Dubuque Racing Association, Dubuque Boys Club, and National Association of Furniture Manufacturing.

Jack lived a faith-filled life. He was a member of St. Columbkille parish, and attended daily mass regularly, especially during lent. He was a founding member of S.M.G.A. (Sunday Morning Golf Association), which started as a group of merry men looking to enjoy libations on Sunday morning at the Dubuque Golf and Country Club, without violating Iowa Liquor Board laws. The group played a round of golf with the intent of meeting at the gin table. He was an avid player of gin, a desired partner and feared competitor.

Jack joined the 990 Club in 1955, and was the longest-standing member of the Dubuque Shooting Society. He was one of the originals of the Club. He also enjoyed hunting with his family and friends as a great way to relax.

He and Peggy were avid world travelers. They visited six of the seven continents in style. Family and friends were always welcome to join them.

Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy, in 2002; and son, Patrick, in 2014; along with his sister, Mary Jo Murphy; and brother-in-law, John Bonner.
Jack is survived by his sister, Jeanne Bonner; daughter, Colleen (Larry) McCarthy; son, Kevin (Maureen) Crahan; daughter-in-law, Carla Crahan; and grandchildren, Erin Nagle Atkiss, Ciara and Nora McCarthy, Page (Ken) Rahn, Andrew Crahan, Kaitlin, Caroline, Jack and Seamus Crahan; and great-grandchildren, Lincoln, Shepherd, and Riley Atkiss, and Patrick Michael Rahn.

To honor Jack's love of the church and Catholic education, memorials may be given to St. Columbkille Church and School Fund.