A one-car accident claimed the life of a local businessman Wednesday on Alabama Highway 69.

Stephen Craft, 36, of Cullman was pronounced dead on the scene of the 1:50 p.m. accident by coroner Gary Murphree.

According to State Troopers, Craft was traveling in the north-bound lane, about five miles east of Cullman, when his vehicle left the road, hit a culvert and flipped.

Trooper Joseph Parish, who is investigating the accident, said Craft was thrown from the vehicle; his body was found 79 feet from the car’s final resting place.

The accident report stated that he was not wearing a seat belt.

Craft was well-known in Cullman as the owner of The Bulletin Board, an educational supply shop on Second Avenue across from Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Lori Turner, owner of Studio 412, rents business space from Craft.

“He was just a really great guy, and it’s terrible he’s gone,” she said.

Betty Hauk, a councilor at the Cullman County Child Development Center, said she met Craft while shopping in his store. Their mutual love of animals led to him caring for her dog from time to time.

“He was funny, and he loved animals. He would do anything for you,” she said. “He was real community oriented as far as doing what he could to help people. He was just a good citizen all the way around.”

According to Hauk, Craft was reportedly well-known for working with teachers to pay for school supplies that he knew they had to purchase out of pocket.

Pam Key, a teacher at Fairview Elementary, said her dealings with Craft were limited to the store.

“I just know that he was very nice and very helpful in the store as far as ordering things for us,” she said.

Parkside second-grade teacher Margaret Guthrie agreed with Key.

“He was so helpful in getting the things we needed for school,” said Guthrie, who worked with Craft at The Cullman Times shortly after he graduated high school.

Craft was preceded in death by his father Fred Craft, who died in 2003 in a car accident on I-65.

He is survived by his mother, Geraldine Craft; a brother, Richard Craft and a sister, Susan Smith.

Funeral arrangements for Craft are incomplete and will be announced by Cullman Heritage Funeral Home.