Craig J. Musel, 72, of Chelsea, Iowa, died Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, at Sunny Hill Care Center, Tama.

Services are noon Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Chelsea, with visitation an hour prior to the service. Burial will take place at Stayskal Cemetery, Chelsea. Memorials may be made to the family. Online condolences can be sent at: www.hrabakfuneralhome.com

Craig was born Dec. 18, 1945, at Marshalltown Hospital, to Joseph and Elizabeth "Elsie" (Seidel) Musel of rural Chelsea. He attended St. Joseph's School in Chelsea and Chelsea Public School and graduated from South Tama County High School. Craig was active in FFA while in high school and entered the Iowa National Guard Reserves shortly after graduation.

He farmed with his parents in rural Chelsea and worked part-time for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Craig later worked for and retired from Lennox in Marshalltown. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Catholic Order of Foresters, Iowa Farm Bureau and the American Legion of Chelsea.

Craig was an expert gardener, growing potatoes and other vegetables that won ribbons and trophies at the Iowa State Fair and selling his produce at the Toledo Farmers Market. He was an avid mushroom hunter and enjoyed fishing, trapping, hunting and doing anything outdoors. His good buddy, Joe Plesek, has great stories about all of those. Craig's farm was named an Iowa Heritage Farm in 2016, after being in the Musel family for more than 150 years.

He is survived by his sisters, Dorothy (Don) Martens and Audery (Nick) Beuter, sister-in-law Dorothy Musel and 16 nieces and nephews: Doug, Steve, Gregg and Cindy Hadish and Margaret (Hadish)Wolter; Judy, Don, Mary, Terry and Tim Beuter; and Danita (Musel) Beier, Diane (Musel) Wilson, Deborah (Musel) Adams, Darin Musel, Denise (Musel) Anderson and Roseanne (Musel) Pape and beloved dog, Pookie.

Craig was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Ronald Musel, and niece, Jackie (Beuter) Ebling.