Obituary for Colonel (Ret) William Howard Creed
Colonel (Ret) William Howard Creed (Age 97) died Sunday August 7, 2022, at the North Carolina Veterans Home in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Col. Creed proudly served 34 years in the U.S. Army, serving in four wars – World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. He received the Air Medal and the Legion of Merit for his Service in Vietnam. After retiring from the service, he served as Director of the Florida Institute of Technology’s Graduate Degree Program at Fort Lee, Virginia.
He was born March 10, 1925 in Silk Hope, North Carolina where he grew up on his parents’ farm with his brother David. He enlisted in the military and rose through the ranks to the rank of Full Colonel. While in the service he obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska and graduate degree from Florida Institute of Technology. He was married twice. His first wife Katherine died in 1984. He married Mary Payne Smathers Creed in 1987 and they moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina in 2004.
Col. Creed was a man of deep faith and active in the United Methodist Church. He was active in his local business communities, as a member of the Kiwanis and was an esteemed member of the Masons and was honored by the mayor with Bill Creed Day in Black Mountain on March 14, 2015.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; his son, William H. Creed Jr. of Chevy Chase, MD; his stepchildren, Vance Smathers of Greensboro, NC and Ann Johnson of Chester, VA; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and loyal friend and mentor to hundreds during his life and career. He was an inspiration to all who knew him. He will be missed.
A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, September 3, 2022 at 3:00pm at Givens Highland Farms in the Assembly Room. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery.
He was born March 10, 1925 in Silk Hope, North Carolina where he grew up on his parents’ farm with his brother David. He enlisted in the military and rose through the ranks to the rank of Full Colonel. While in the service he obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska and graduate degree from Florida Institute of Technology. He was married twice. His first wife Katherine died in 1984. He married Mary Payne Smathers Creed in 1987 and they moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina in 2004.
Col. Creed was a man of deep faith and active in the United Methodist Church. He was active in his local business communities, as a member of the Kiwanis and was an esteemed member of the Masons and was honored by the mayor with Bill Creed Day in Black Mountain on March 14, 2015.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; his son, William H. Creed Jr. of Chevy Chase, MD; his stepchildren, Vance Smathers of Greensboro, NC and Ann Johnson of Chester, VA; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and loyal friend and mentor to hundreds during his life and career. He was an inspiration to all who knew him. He will be missed.
A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, September 3, 2022 at 3:00pm at Givens Highland Farms in the Assembly Room. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery.