Chief of staff to former Nevada governor dies

Scott Craigie, who was chief of staff to former Nevada Gov. Bob Miller, died on Tuesday.

Few details were known Wednesday regarding the circumstances of his death, but Miller released a statement praising Craigie’s achievements.

“None of the accomplishments from my early years as Governor, such as class-size reduction and establishing a Senior Advocate, could have been realized without his tireless efforts. …Scott Craigie always put others first and leaves behind a legacy of extraordinary public service.”

Craigie, who served as a Marine, was Miller’s chief of staff from 1989 to 1993, He had worked as a fifth-grade teacher for the Clark County School District, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal, and when he accepted the chief of staff position he took a $7,000 annual pay cut.

He was a Marine sergeant during the Vietnam War, according to the Gazette-Journal. He also was director of Nevada’s Department of Human Resources and was known for his child and family advocate work.

Legislature members and lobbyists described Craigie as family-oriented. Gov. Brian Sandoval called Craigie “a remarkable man with a giant character.”

Among other organizations, Craigie was involved with the Autism Coalition of Nevada, Nevada Public Broadcasting and Smoke-free Gaming of Nevada during his time as a lobbyist.

Michael Hackett, a lobbyist who knew Craigie well, said that Craigie died surrounded by his family and that funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Contact reporter Annalise Porter at aporter@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0391. The Associated Press contributed to this report.