Craig MacPhee, 81

Craig Robert MacPhee was born July 10, 1944, in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. His father, Craig MacPhee, was serving in the Royal Canadian Navy at HMCS Cornwallis near the Bay of Fundy during World War II when his wife, Dorothy Madeline (née Seney), gave birth to their son.

After the war, the family moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, then to Seattle, Wash., and eventually to Cheney, Wash., where Craig skipped a grade in school. He later graduated from Moscow High School in Idaho, where he retained fond memories of his years. Craig was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity at the University of Idaho, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business in 1966. He went on to receive a Master of Arts in 1968 and a Ph.D. in Economics in 1970 from Michigan State University. Craig spent most of his academic career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he served as the Paul C. Burmeister College Professor of Economics and as Chair of the Department of Economics for several years.

In addition to teaching, Craig had a distinguished international consulting career. It began with two years at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, followed by many summers with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. During the 1990s, he served as an intermittent adviser on educational reform in Russia, Poland and South Korea. He also worked with USAID in Montenegro, Mongolia and Nepal, and spent two separate years in the former Republic of Georgia advising the equivalent of the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Craig also consulted for the World Bank on trade and transport. His work focused on improving standards of living in developing countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and 15 nations in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Craig authored numerous monographs and five books, including "Roll Over Joe Stalin: Struggling with Post-Soviet Reform in the Caucasus" (available on Amazon). He published 24 book chapters, 27 official international trade publications and many refereed journal articles. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses in international trade and international finance. His honors included the Leavey Award for Russian educational reform, Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars, Beta Gamma Sigma, Blue Key Society and Omicron Delta Epsilon. He also served for many years as national treasurer of the Stepfamily Association of America.

In 1966, Craig married Kathleen Gray McCown in Moscow, Idaho, and adopted Paul Joseph (born 1962). Heather Kathleen was born in 1969 and Rob Allan in 1973, both in Lincoln, Neb. Craig later married Andrea Joy Sime in 1983 in Lincoln. He was a devoted father who treasured time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

As a teenager, Craig fought forest fires for the U.S. Forest Service in the Snake River Canyon, the deepest canyon in the United States. He later worked his way to Europe aboard a Norwegian freighter, forming lifelong friendships and developing a lasting interest in international affairs. An avid runner, Craig competed in many races, including several marathons. He loved camping, listening to 1950s music, cooking and entertaining, and was the life of the party. He was especially known for his Robert Burns dinners and recitations of Scottish poetry. Craig also enjoyed Nebraska football and volleyball, and he and Andrea shared a love of skiing, traveling and visiting museums. They spent many summers at Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where they later retired.

Craig passed away at his home in Indian Wells, Calif., on Jan. 5, 2026, at the age of 81. He is survived by his wife, Andrea Sime; his children, Paul MacPhee (Margaret), Heather Ryan (Chris), and Rob MacPhee (Ashley); grandchildren Jon (SriVani) MacPhee, Kenneth MacPhee, Connor Ryan, Kara Ryan, Cameron Ryan, and Scarlette MacPhee; great-grandchildren Julian, Calum, Caiden, and Craig MacPhee; brothers John (Carol) and Glen (Deborah); nine nieces and nephews; many great-nieces and great-nephews; and numerous Canadian cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy and Craig MacPhee.

A celebration of Craig's life will be held this summer in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Donations in his memory may be made to the Northwest Parkinson's Foundation, 4407 N. Division St., Suite 210, Spokane, WA 99207.