Mary Elizabeth Creecy

Mary Elizabeth Creecy, Granma, Mom, teacher and friend passed away on October 29, 2020 at the age of 78 after a hard-fought battle with leukemia. Mary is survived by her daughter, Trona Jurden and husband Jerry of Lavon, Texas, daughter, Melinda Polk of Kaufman; son, Ken Nguyen and wife Thuy of Allen, TX, Grandchildren: Ellie (Jurden) and husband Ryan Ross of McKinney, Lizzy Jurden, Molly Jurden of Lavon, Cameron Polk and wife Shannon of Forney, Hannah Polk of Kaufman, Micah Polk, U.S. Navy, Emma Polk of Kaufman, Kara and Kaylee Nguyen of Allen, sister-n-law, Susan Dunn and beloved family friends Melissa, Grace, Cali and Jessi Camacho. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 44 years, her son Jeff and son-n-law Jimmy Polk.

Mary Beth was born October 12, 1942, in Baytown, Texas. She was the only child of Percy and Lillian Sparks Wood. She married James Kent Creecy on October 12, 1967 in Mont Belview, Texas. Shortly after they were married, Kent's job with Humble Oil took them to Tarrytown, New York. Trona Elizabeth was born there in 1968. They returned to Kemp in 1970 and Melinda Dianne wa born 1971. They adopted Ken in 1980 and Jeff in 1982.

Mary received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from Sam Houston State University and taught school for 20 years; 16 of those years at Kemp Junior High, teaching English, Texas history and American History. She retired in January of 1998.

Mary Beth loved her grandchildren (and bonus grandchildren) fiercely. She was a proud child of God and a prayer warrior. She left volumes of prayer journals. From the first week of her first grandchild's time away at college she was committed to handwriting letters to them. First for two, then four and so on. She wanted them to know they were loved and prayed for every single day. At last count she was writing to at least 20 a week. College graduation was always a bittersweet day because they knew that Granma's letters would stop., but prayers never would.

Mary Beth was a talented seamstress. Her first teaching position was a home economics teacher. She made most of her clothes, as well as her daughters and later her granddaughters. After retirement she developed a love for quilt-making and gardening. But family was always the most important thing to her. She was described by many as stern and no-nonsense, but those she loved, she loved deeply. We joke that once you were part of her circle.....you were stuck for good.

It would honor the family and Mary Beth's memory if, in lieu of flowers, you would donate to one of the following.

• First Baptist Church of Kaufman will be naming the Worship Arts wing after Mary Beths son-n-law, Jimmy Polk. Please consider a donation to the wing by mailing a check to FBC Kaufman, 2000 W. Fair Street, Kaufman, TX 75142 or online at www.fbckaufman.org/give-online
• Leukemia Texas is dedicated to improving the lives of those with Leukemia through the funding of research and patient aid in Texas. https://www.leukemiatexas.org/donate/

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