7 News Belize

Dit's Restaurant Proprietor Passes
posted (November 17, 2011)
Mostly, restaurants come and go, but the good ones stay - and for Belize City folk, foremost among those is Dit's Restaurant. The classic Belizean eatery on King Street - famous for its pastries - was opened in 1953 by the Craig family.

But today the doors were closed to mourn the passing of Walter Oliver Craig, the man who came to define Dit's for the past four decades.

Walter Craig passed away last night at 9:30 at the KHMH. He was a diabetic experiencing renal failure. His daughter told us today about his passing and his legacy:...

Alicia Craig, Daughter of Walter Craig
"He was suffering from diabetes for years but he was someone that always said 'I am diabetes strong' because his diabetes could be 500 - 600 and he would still be walking around right, so he would always say diabetes don't beat me I am beating diabetes. I guess on the outside it wasn't showing but eventually it was taking a toll on his kidneys and his body and what happen on Sunday when he came home he fell down about two times in the bathroom and then Monday we called in Doctor Godinez and he came and he said, it is better that he goes in. They started an alternative treatment at the hospital and on Wednesday we were leaving feeling good because they said his heart was getting a little bit better and everything, and so I came home and my sister came home and about 9:30 they called us back saying that he had a cardiac arrest and when we got there he had already passed."

Monica Bodden
"When was the restaurant first open?"

Alicia Craig, Daughter of Walter Craig
"It was open 58 years ago and actually it was right there across the street, where you see Gaylord's. It used to be a panades shop and then eventually they were selling this house and my grandfather purchased the house and right there it started with his sister Dit and that's how we got the name Dits."

Monica Bodden
"One of the things I personally noticed is that Mr. Craig always being inside his restaurant and I am sure that he could afford for someone to sit in the restaurant or one of you girls. Was that something that he insisted on?"

Alicia Craig, Daughter of Walter Craig
"Yes he insisted that he had to have contact with his customers. Then he used to have this thing, that he snapped the money that he was giving you and everyone use to like that about daddy, like I said he was always smiling."

Walter Oliver Craig, had three children and two grandchildren. The restaurant will remain open, managed by the family.

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