James Reed McCreary Jr.

James (Jim) Reed McCreary Jr. of Beach City, Texas passed away on Saturday May 27, 2023 at the age of 96- years-old. He passed peacefully at his assisted living home in Cypress, Texas with his sons and daughter-in-law at his side.

Jim was born on December 5, 1926 in Hastings, Nebraska to James Reed McCreary Sr. and Viola Drollinger McCreary.

In 1930, the Family moved from Hastings to the east side of Houston, Texas residing in a large two-story house on Sherman Street when Jim was 5 years old. The rest of his boyhood was spent in this neighborhood building and flying model airplanes and working in his dad’s machine shop.

In September of 1944 at the age of 18 Jim enlisted into the military with the United States Army Air Corp. He had hoped to continue his love of flying for Uncle Sam but being at the tail end of the war the Army had more than enough pilots and offered him a position to train for Airplane & Engine Mechanic for the new C-54 Skymaster. After his training was complete at Keesler Field in Mississippi he was assigned to duty at Army Air Base Fairfield-Suisun in California where he remained until the end of the war. He was honorably discharged in November 1946 and hitchhiked back home to Houston.

He continued to pursue his passion for aviation by flying corporate aircraft for numerous energy companies in Houston. He retired from his final position of Chief Pilot of Aviation with Transcontinental Pipeline Company in 1985.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, James Reed McCreary Sr. and Viola Drollinger McCreary; brothers; Willis P. McCreary, Jack Martin McCreary, Charles Kimble McCreary; sisters, Viola Jeannette McCreary, Mary Margaret McCreary.

Jim is survived by wife Betty Jo McCreary, sons, James Reed McCreary III of Houston, Texas and Ronald David McCreary of Cypress Texas, four Grandchildren: Christine Rene` Dehner, James Reed McCreary IV, Janis Marie Rodrigue, and Courtney McCreary Kaler and also ten Great Grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews and other beloved relatives; and also the special beloved extended family of wife Betty Jo.

A visitation for James will be held Wednesday, May 31, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, TX 77023. A funeral service will occur Wednesday, May 31, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, TX 77023. A committal service will follow at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers are James McCreary IV, Josh Rodrigue , John Kaler, Brandon Rodrigue, Colby Rodrigue , Max Rodrigue, Keaton Henson and Noah Serafin.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ForestParkLawndaleFH.com for the McCreary family.