Charlestown, NH – Larry Crainich September 2, 1942- November 26, 2025
Larry Crainich passed away with his wife Dianne at his side on November 26, 2025. The staff at the Applewood Center Nursing Home are applauded for their wonderful, extremely attentive and thoughtful care for Larry during his time there.
Larry was born in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) near the Italian border in 1942. He emigrated from war torn Europe to the USA at the age of 8 with his family. Tragically, his mother Stefania, died when Larry was 3 years old. His father Joseph and older siblings; brother Robert and sister Brigida along with his stepmother Maria and her children immigrated to Bridgeport, CT. They were immigrant Displaced Persons looking to make a new life in the USA.
Larry graduated from Bullard Havens Technical School in Bridgeport, CT in 1961 and his concentration of study was Tool & Die. He went on to work and support the Tool Making Trades at various manufacturers (Fairfield Tool & Die, Bridgeport Tool & Die and Lacey Manufacturing) in Bridgeport and found his passion in Tool Design/Drafting. Larry considered education integral to success and was a voracious reader, continually learning all his life.
In 1971, Larry founded Design Standards Corporation (DSC). DSC initially, designed tools for metal stampings. In 1980 Larry acquired Vicon Tool, which allowed DSC to design and build tools for metal stampings which led to production manufacturing. The trifecta of Design, Development and Manufacturing allowed for a more complete service offering. Design Standards Corporation became a reliable vendor and service provider to the medical device industry. Larry Crainich, leading DSC, followed and was an integral part of the evolution and technological innovations of the medical device industry from general open procedure instrumentation, the advent of laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgeries, to wristed/steerable devices and ultimately instrumentation utilized in conjunction with surgical robotic platforms.
Larry Crainich, as an inventor, contributed to 163 U.S. Patents and also authored 131 articles “Metal Stampings By Design” for the industry publication Metal Forming from 1989-2000. He was also sought out as an industry expert for speaking engagements across the USA and invited to Singapore and Bangkok. Larry was featured in an article for the Harvard Business Review- April 2004, “A Network of Invention.”
Larry was a force of nature and had an intensity about him. He was purposeful about his vocation, solving technical problems, contributing to society, and helping people. In his office he had a hand written motto: “Achievement is the purpose of life. Without purpose there is no life.”
Recreationally, Larry skied, cycled and played tennis. He loved alpine skiing and raced in Pat’s Peak’s (Henniker, NH) proverbial ‘beer league’ from 2007 at age 64 until 2016 age 73. His second favorite sport was tennis and he played at TSV Charlestown, NH. He thoroughly enjoyed the competition, comradery and personal challenge of these athletic endeavors. Lastly, if you really knew him you know that he hated golf.
As a father, guardian and loving husband Larry was responsible for raising two sons and his niece and nephew. Twenty years of devoted responsibility is what he stated raising children entailed. His first stint started at age 26, his second stint came at age 54. The man went above and beyond and was a fantastic father figure.
Larry is survived by Dianne Crainich, his wife of 29 years, his sons Eric & Paul (their mother Annemarie) and their spouses Andrea & Janet and his grandchildren Nadia, Olivia, Hugo, Aoife, Oscar and Oliver. His nephew Thomas Jeliffe, fiancee Nika and son Charlie and his niece Mary and her children. Allie and Leo. His sister Brigida, and her children Stefan and Heidi and his brother Robert’s children Jim, Matt, Stefania, Michael & Jason. He is pre-deceased by his stepbrother Luciano and stepsisters Adelle and Josephine.
Larry’s wishes were not to have a funeral or wake, instead a Celebration of his Life will be planned for a time yet to be determined in the Spring of 2026.
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