Mr. Lorin C. Albright

Cullum: 25772

Class: 1965

Cadet Company: E1

Date of Birth: September 13, 1943

Date of Death: December 17, 2023 - View or Post a Eulogy

Interred: Cremated

Mr. Lorin C. Albright Lorin Craig Albright was born in Medina, NY, near Lake Ontario and Niagara Falls. He graduated from Albion High School, where he excelled at both sports and academics. He played on the football and wrestling teams and was a member of the National Honor Society.

At West Point, a plebe year shoulder injury truncated his football aspirations; but, in addition to a full slate of intramural activities, he was on the Pistol Team for two years. He was also a member of the Outdoor Sportsmen Club. His intellectual ability and self-confidence allowed him to easily cope with the challenges of the Tactical Department and academics.

One of the few to take advantage of “camping leave,” Craig occasionally spent weekends out on the reservation. Often this included hunting grouse with a skeet club shotgun or fishing during better weather. There was enough success to usually supplement the mess hall camping food allocations. On a couple of occasions, winter hunting even involved walking across frozen Lake Stillwell. His upstate New York cold weather background may also have contributed to the accomplishment of getting a nearly man-sized icicle from behind Old South Area barracks into a classmate’s bunk.

Upon graduation, Craig was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Armor branch. After completion of Airborne and Ranger schools, he was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Meade, MD. Though his unit went to Vietnam, illness precluded Craig’s serving with them, and he was assigned as the club officer at Fort Hancock, NJ while he recuperated. He later was assigned to Korea, where he was a company commander along the DMZ with the 72nd Armor Regiment and promoted to captain. Upon his return, he was assigned to the Armor School at Fort Knox, KY until resigning his commission in 1970.

Craig met his wife, Heather, a Women’s Army Corps lieutenant, at Fort Meade when she was given an assignment to audit “unit funds,” including Craig’s unit. After asking her to join him for a “unit” occasion, they started dating, maintained their relationship remotely, and in 1968, after his return from Korea, married in Bradenton, FL. They enjoyed their honeymoon in Jamaica and began their life of 55 years together in Louisville, KY when he was at Fort Knox.

Following the Army, Craig joined IBM as a computer programmer in the Federal Systems Division and worked with Bell Labs in Morris Plains, NJ after training. When later being offered a temporary assignment out of state, the interviewing manager learned that Heather had been an IBM programmer working at the Pentagon prior to their marriage, and suggested that she come in for an interview, at which time she rejoined IBM. Their subsequent career paths included contract support for government agencies with time spent in the King of Prussia area of Pennsylvania and several years in the Washington, DC area working at Langley, VA. Ultimately, they both had assignments with a commercial division in Raleigh, NC.

With resource reductions and other changes being made, Craig opted to leave IBM and join Seer Technologies, where he interacted with customers for their product and spent time in Australia before finally retiring.

Craig was always an outdoorsman and loved to be out hiking and camping. He was also an avid reader. He maintained his interest in shooting sports and achieved both North Carolina state and national recognition for high power rifle shooting excellence. This included tying a national record. His shooting club also focused on safety and proficiency training for Boy Scouts and other young shooters. Craig was continually active in this endeavor, right up to the time of his passing.

Since living remotely, most vacations were spent reuniting with and helping family. However, they still managed to ski in Utah, visit Europe, enjoy the Caribbean islands, snorkel in Hawaii (where Craig also took advantage of scuba diving), and raft the white waters of the North Carolina mountains. When applicable, trips included battlegrounds for battles studied at USMA and other historical events.

Craig accommodated Heather’s interest in sailing with their little Sunfish on Budd Lake in New Jersey and later a Mutineer sloop in North Carolina. Sailing was highlighted with a barefoot Windjammer cruise with friends in the Caribbean. How memorable it was when the wind filled the sails, the boat listed, and a bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace” sounded upon setting sail. Since sailing between islands was at night, one could opt to sleep on deck under the stars—which was not passed up. Upon retirement, travel plans were curtailed due to a need to help family, stay reasonably close to home for senior care, and then the COVID-19 pandemic; so Craig’s desires to visit New Zealand and Alaska were never fulfilled.

Craig passed away in Raleigh in December 2023 due to heart failure. He is survived by his wife, Heather; his younger brother, Hugh; and several nieces and nephews.

Craig was a quiet but strong man who lived a life of honor, integrity, and dedication to his wife, his family, his career, and his country. He always appreciated the sacrifices of those who came before us and fought for the freedom that provided the opportunities for us to prosper. He never forgot the lessons of West Point and followed them to the end. Well Done, Craig; Be Thou at Peace.

— Heather Albright, Wife, with the Help and Collaboration of Chuck McCloskey and Emory Pylant