John Michael Craviotto

John Michael Craviotto went to be with the Lord on January 17th, 2021. He passed away peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones following a recurrence of brain cancer. He was gone too soon at 64. John’s courage, love for others and zest for life was never more apparent than during the last two years. He refused to let a diagnosis define who he was or how he lived.

John was born to Daniel and Carmen Craviotto in Santa Barbara. ‘Johnny,’ as he would be known to family and friends, had a twinkle in his eyes and a grin on his face from the beginning. The joyous spirit and mischievous sense of humor that God blessed him with would be a hallmark of who he was for the rest of his life.

John’s early school years were spent at Harding School and Vieja Valley Elementary School. He graduated from San Marcos High School (class of 1974), where he was a 3-sport athlete in football, wrestling and baseball. He was the team captain of the football team his senior year of high school. He attended and played baseball and football at Santa Barbara City College, played baseball at UCSB for a year, and graduated from California Lutheran College, where he also played baseball and was the captain of the football team. Forever a loyal Royal & Kingsman, he cherished the lifelong friendships forged with his football and baseball buddies.

In 1982, John began chiropractic school where he met, fell in love with and married Lori Allison Grace. Together, they had Kristin, Michael, and Brianna. John was a devoted husband and a wonderful father and he loved being a grandfather to the newest additions to the family tree.

Following graduation from Western States Chiropractic College in Portland, Oregon in 1986, John was an associate in Ashland, Oregon prior to returning to Santa Barbara to begin practice in 1988. He found great joy and fulfillment in caring for his patients while serving the Santa Barbara community for over 30 years. In addition to work, John and Lori were involved with their local church community and enjoyed hosting home groups and coming alongside the poor in Haiti and Mexico. John also loved any type of travel, woodworking, welding and spending time with his family. On any given summer Saturday, he and Lori could be found at the beach, biking around Santa Barbara, BBQing tri-tip, or playing cribbage and enjoying a good glass of wine with friends and family.

John was a man of integrity who deeply loved God, his family, and friends. It was very important to him to finish the race well, and he felt that “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:19-23). His positivity, sense of humor, and courage in his final months was a testament to all who witnessed it.

John is preceded in death by his father Daniel Craviotto. He will be sorely missed by all those he leaves behind including his wife, Lori Craviotto, his children, Kristin and Adam Rupert, Michael and Kate Craviotto, and Brianna Craviotto, his grandchildren Grace, Olive, Jonathan and Sylvia, his mother, Carmen Craviotto, and his siblings, Daniel Craviotto, Cathleen Craviotto, Eileen Craviotto and their spouses, his in-laws and his many nieces, nephews and cousins.

John’s family is humbled and incredibly grateful to all the friends and family who have supported them during the last few weeks. There will be an outdoor celebration of his life in June.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Haitian community engagement organization dear to John and Lori at www.COFHED.org, or COFHED, PO Box 4094, St. Paul, MN 55104 or San Marcos Alumni Foundation (in memory of John Craviotto-in the memo line) 4957 Yaple Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA. 93111.