John "Jack" S. Creighton

John Stanley Creighton... "Jack", was born on July 29th, 1928 in Hensel, North Dakota. He passed from this life on Saturday, July 8th, 2017 at the age of 88. He was the youngest of 8 children, or as he always liked to put it, "I had 5 brothers and we each had 2 sisters". He grew up on the family farm in Cavalier, North Dakota and learned at an early age the value of a hard day's work, helping out on the farm along with all his siblings. Dad and his 5 brothers all served in the military during war time, and all came home safely. He was very proud of his military service, and was a member of the American Legion, VFW, and the Legion of Honor. In 2015, he had the privilege of traveling to Washington, D.C. on the Central Valley Honor Flight. It was an incredibly touching and emotional time for him and many other vets to visit the war memorials, Arlington Cemetery and the Smithsonian Museum. He was brought to tears by the hero's welcome they all received at the Fresno airport upon returning home. He was the last surviving member of his family, after losing his brother Marvin in 1998. Jack lived to the oldest age of anyone in his family except his father, who died in 1978 at the age of 93. As a young man, he always intended to follow in his father's footsteps, and as such he began pursuing a degree in agriculture. To help pay for his studies, he landed a part time job. This job was in, of all places, a funeral home. He often told the story of how, after having worked there for a few months, he thought to himself, "I really feel that I could do this kind of work". Well it seems he was right. He changed the course of his life and began to pursue a career in funeral service, and in 1964, he purchased the Garner Funeral Chapel, and moved his family to Kingsburg. He put his heart and soul into Creighton Memorial Chapel, serving the families of Kingsburg with dignity and sincerity. He officially retired in 1998, and up until about a year ago, has been in the funeral home for one reason or another just about every day since. In 2007 he married Shirley Redemer and they have enjoyed many happy years together. As health concerns began to take a toll, Jack and Shirley moved into the Bethel Lutheran Home in Selma, where they have resided for the past 3 and a half years. After having survived heart disease and 2 battles with cancer, Jack was unable to overcome a bout of pneumonia, which took him from us exactly 3 weeks shy of his 89th birthday. It seems fitting that this very patriotic, flag waving, war veteran was taken home just 4 days after Independence Day. Jack will be laid to rest at the Kingsburg Cemetery on Monday, July 17th with full military honors. He is survived by his wife, Shirley, son Ben Creighton and his wife Renee, step-sons Michael Redemer and his wife Margaret, and Mitch Redemer and his wife Joan; grandson Matthew Creighton and his wife Cassie, and granddaughter Kimberly Creighton.

John "Jack" S. Creighton

July 29, 1928 - July 8, 2017