JOSEPH O. CREECH
Sept. 17, 1938-Oct. 11, 2008
Joseph Odell "Joe" Creech, 70, of Goldsboro, died Oct. 11, 2008, at home after a 2-1/2 -year battle with cancer.
The funeral will be held at First Baptist Church in Kinston on Monday at 11 a.m. The Exchange Club of Goldsboro members will serve as pallbearers at the service. The graveside service will be held at the Buies Creek Cemetery, Buies Creek N.C.
Mr. Creech was born Sept. 17, 1938, in Selma, N.C., the son of the late Tom and Lucille Creech. Following graduation from Garner High School in 1956, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in Germany until 1961 as a cryptographer and while there enjoyed traveling throughout Europe. Upon his return to North Carolina, he enrolled at Campbell College and met his wife, Phyllis. In 1964, he graduated from Campbell with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He also graduated from the School of Consumer Banking at UVA in 1979. He was employed by BB&T in the Kinston and Goldsboro offices as a vice president in the commercial loans department. He retired in 2000 after 30 years of dedicated service.
He was a member of First Baptist Church in Kinston, where he served as a deacon for many years. He was a member and past president of the Exchange Club of Kinston. He was also a member of the Exchange Club of Goldsboro where he served as treasurer and chaired the golf tournament fundraiser.
After retiring, he began his life-long plan to play golf and travel with his wife. His favorite trips included St. Martin, Alaska, Niagara Falls and trips to Florida where he worked at Disney's MGM Studios.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Phyllis Turlington Creech; one daughter, Anita Creech Gray, and her husband, Ken, of New Bern; one son, Brent Everett Creech, and his wife, Suzanne, of Grifton; six grandchildren, McKinley Gray, Carter Gray, Mary-Catherine Gray, Kyndall Creech, Bailey Creech and Jessica Council; brothers, Thomas Randolph "Randy" Creech and wife, Frances, of Garner, Rex Creech and wife Peggy, of Carolina Beach; sister, Linda Barber of Garner. His eight nephews will serve as pall bearers at the graveside, Wesley Waters, Mike Waters, Shay Creech, Travis Creech, Jonathan Creech, Scott Barber, Jason Weaver and James Weaver.
The family will receive friends Sunday from 4 until 6 p.m. at Seymour Funeral Home on Wayne Memorial Drive in Goldsboro.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to The Exchange Club of Goldsboro Youth Projects, P.O. Box 1793, Goldsboro, N.C., 27530; Pennies from Angels, c/o Helen Harwood, Southeastern Medical Oncology Center, 203 Cox Blvd., Goldsboro, N.C. 27534, or Stand up to Cancer, 1801 W. Olympic Blvd., Pasadena, Calif., 91199-1224
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on October 12, 2008 1:28 PM