Bill Grant Creech

Bill Grant Creech, age 101, of Temple, Texas, passed away on September 18, 2021 peacefully. He was born January 21, 1920 in Avalon, Texas, (population 49) in Ellis County Texas to Otto Benton Creech and Maybelle Reynolds Creech. He was married to Freida Maurine (‘Tootsie’) Sanders on July 31, 1945. They were married 73 years before her death in March 2019.

Bill joined the army December 2, 1939 n Dallas, Texas. He served in the 2nd Infantry Division 38th Infantry, and saw action in the European Theater including D-Day +1 going ashore at Omaha beach at 1 minute after midnight of June 7, 1944. He was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge having been caught behind enemy lines. He carries the remnants of the shells in his legs the rest of his life. He was involved with the liberation of several Concentration Camps and Pilzen, Czechoslovakia. He was discharged from the army October 28, 1945 at Camp Swift, Texas.

Bill spent years in sales and ran a commissary in Venezuela before moving back to Texas in the 1950’s to open a paint store on Goliad Road in San Antonio, Texas. He worked in Various sales positions. He was the Secretary/Treasurer of the Second (Indiahead) Division Association where he established a scholarship fund and grew it to provide college education to the children/grandchildren of the Association members. This program was later named for Bill Creech, its founder. Bill served as the City judge for the city of Buda, Texas where he and his wife lived for many years. In 2008, Bill and Tootsie moved to Temple, Texas where they spent their remaining years next to their oldest daughter. Bill was a member of the Masonic lodge of Texas, having been raised to master mason in Harlandale lodge 1213 in San Antonio, Texas in 1955. He joined the Buda Lodge in 1977 and was Worshipful Master of that Lodge from 1983-1984. He and his wife ‘Tootsie’ were members of the Lockhart Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star where they were Patron and Matron of that chapter several times.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife Maurine (Tootsie) in 2019 and his siblings, Robert, Thelma, Bennie, twins, Milus and Mavis, Ray, Ada, and Rosalie. He was the last of his siblings to pass. Bill is survived by his daughters - Dr. Sandra Kay Creech and her husband, Alan Lytle, of Temple, Texas and Deborah Ann Creech Harrison and her husband, John Thomas Harrison of Copperas Cove, Texas. His Grandchildren include Dr. Colleen Eddy and her husband Windle Eddy of Texas, Larissa Harrison of North Dakota, Celeste Harrison of Texas, Rachelle Harrison Prickette and her husband Guil Prickette of Alaska, John Thomas-Grant Harrison and his wife Min Jin of South Korea, Roy Lytle of Texas. His great grandchildren include Dean Eddy and his wife Audrey of Texas, James Eddy of Texas, and twins Roy and John Lytle of Texas. And his great great grandchild is Laine Eddy of Texas.

The family would like to recognize and thank the VA hospital of Temple, Texas for their care as well as Creekside Terrace Rehabilitation in Belton, Texas for their care and consideration. In addition, we appreciate Kindred Hospice for their care of Bill during the final days of his life.

Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, September 24, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home in Pflugerville, Texas. There will not be a visitation and the funeral service will be closed casket.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Bill Creech Scholarship Program of the Second (Indianhead) Association, P.O. Box 218, Fox Lake, Il 60020-0218.