John Creelman

John Richard Creelman, 88, of Aumsville, Oregon, and a former longtime resident of Centralia and Auburn Washington, passed away at Salem Hospital in Salem, Oregon on Friday, July 28, 2023, with family at his side. One of the seven children of Robert and Rosemary Creelman, John was born in Spokane, Washington on November 15th, 1934. He spent his early years in several small towns in Washington and Oregon.

After graduating from Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen, Washington in 1954, John enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving as a rifleman and radio operator in California and Japan. John returned home after a two year enlistment being honorably discharged as a Sergeant. After a month of civilian life, John enlisted in the United States Air Force serving four years as a Communications Specialist in the Philippines, Texas, and Labrador, Canada. He reached the rank of Airman First Class, and was discharged in 1959.

John worked for Boeing Company for his entire post-service career, and retired as a Business Manager in the Aerospace Graphics department at the Boeing Space Center in Kent, Washington in 1991.

On June 16th, 1961, John married Virginia Mae Nickert in Carson City, Michigan. They lived in Seattle for several years and had two children: Brian and Suzanne. They moved to Auburn, Washington in 1966. They traveled extensively and enjoyed gardening and spending time with their grandchildren. They were married for forty-six years before her death from cancer on April 22, 2008.

John met the second love of his life, Patricia Menning, in 2010, and they were married on August 14, 2010 in Port Angeles, Washington. After several years, John and Patricia moved from Auburn to Centralia, Washington. They moved again in 2023 to Aumsville, Oregon.

John leaves his family with a legacy of abiding love, steadfast faith, and the values of hard work and pride in our country. He will be sadly missed by his family and many friends. John is survived by his wife Patricia Creelman; son Brian Creelman and his wife Janet, and daughters Mariah and Kayla; son-in-law William Morchin and his son Samuel; sons Norman Menning and Angelo Menning; daughter Cari Cannon and her husband Dale; daughter Kim Elliott and her husband Paul; and John also leaves behind his sister Theresa Lawrence and her husband John along with sixteen grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Rose; his sister, Doris Creelman; his brother Douglas and sister-in-law Janice; his brother Neil and sister-in-law Judith; his sister Carol Helard and brother-in-law Mike; his brother Leslie; and his daughter Suzanne Morchin.

Friends and family are invited to attend a Celebration of Life on 17 August 2023 at 10:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 2801 Mt Vista Rd, Centralia, WA 98531. Inurnment will be held on 17 August 2023 at 2:00 PM at Mountain View Cemetery, 2020 Mountain View Dr, Auburn, WA 98001.