Donald "Mc" Andrew McCreery

Donald Andrew McCreery, of Kosse, passed away Monday, December 9, 2013, at his residence, attended by his wife and family. He was known as "Mc" to many, as "Pops" to his children, and as "PaPa Mac" to his grandchildren. Donald had suffered from health problems since shortly before he retired, including COPD, emphysema and asbestos poisoning. He led a full life in spite of setbacks until being homebound the past nine months. He was 69 years, 11 months and 29 days old. Visitation will be held Tuesday, December 10, 2013, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M., at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, December 11, 2013, at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Terry Williams of the Common Ground Cowboy Church of Kosse officiating. Music will be provided by Kenneth and Troylene Dawson. Burial will follow in the Bald Prairie Cemetery. Pallbearers will be James Hobson, Crawford Wallace, Jr., Crawford Wallace, Sr., Heath Mitchell, Donnie Ensminger, Paul Ensminger, Gus Krader, Peanut Copeland, and Donald Lee Doss. Donald was born December 10, 1943 in Simpson, Louisana, to Autrey and Inez McCreery. He grew up there and graduated from high school in Simpson in 1961. He joined the U. S. Navy after graduation, where he served on the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Independence during the Cuban Crisis. His ship patrolled the shores between America and Cuba during a tense time; he also traveled across the Equator, and to Greece, Italy, Spain and England. After his honorable discharge in 1964, he worked for four years for the U.S. Corp of Engineers, surveying the Intercoastal Canal. Donald met a young seventeen year old “soda jerk” at King’s Pharmacy in Bay City and after they dated a few months, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Sandra Ainsworth on June 18, 1966. They moved to Port Arthur and he went to work for Pure Oil (now Union 76) as a chemical specialist. They moved to Lumberton in 1975. After working for Pure Oil for thirty-three years, he retired in 1999. Donald let Sandra choose her hometown of Kosse for their retirement home, and they bought land and moved to their home outside Kosse in October 1999. He drove trucks for awhile after moving to Kosse. Donald was an active member of the Common Ground Cowboy Church at Kosse as long as he was able to attend. He was a highly intelligent man with exceptional math abilities, who used his skills in his work, and also in everyday life, whether making instant computation of his groceries at the checkout line or helping his wife in the rodeo concession stand at their church. He was interested and could converse in all subjects, and especially read and knew the Bible. He had a dry sense of humor and several unique characteristics; for instance, his Folgers coffee habit and the coffee cup used continuously for thirty years, except during the period it went missing and a “wanted poster” was put up for it. He was sentimental about certain things, like a toy given him from a grandchild, which he always kept in a special place on the mantle. Donald was also sentimental about his pets and his poultry - ducks, guineas, quail, chickens, and peacocks. He had one really special goose that followed him everywhere, pulling on his pants, and a special miniature Banty hen named Elizabeth. He even had a special lizard which he hand-fed with flies. He wouldn’t sell any of his poultry though they did sell the excess eggs. When Donald wasn’t tending his poultry, he was busy gardening, or inside he was crocheting. He learned crochet from his Mother, and he made many items, given to family, even designing unique sleeping bags. After many years of making items for all the family members and new babies, he made his final item when the joy of his life, granddaughter, Dena McCreery, passed away at three months of age in 2006. She was lovingly wrapped in the sleeping bag he made her, holding a cross he crocheted for her. Then he put up his crochet hook, saying he would not crochet again. Donald was preceded in death by his parents; one brother; and his granddaughter, Dena Marie McCreery. He is survived by his wife,Sandra McCreery of Kosse; son and daughter-in-law, Todd and Sherry McCreery of Kosse; daughter and son-in-law, LeAnn and James Hobson of Kosse; daughter, Stephanie McCreery of Kosse; special friend of the family, Ann Basham of Kosse; six grandchildren; two great grandchildren; two sisters; and three brothers.