PHILLIP MAURICE McCREARY

Private First-Class Phillip Maurice McCreary, 74, died peacefully at Riverside Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, on December 27, 2018.

PFC McCreary was born on April 26, 1944 in Springfield, Ohio, to James and Dorothy (Baker) McCreary.  After graduating from Linden McKinley High School in 1963, where he placed third in the State of Ohio in the 50 Yard Dash and Relay, he joined the armed forces and was assigned to the Army base camp in Fort Bragg, NC. After graduating from special training, he was assigned as a paratrooper of the 50th Signal Company and deployed to the Dominican Republic and Korea on peacekeeping missions. PFC McCreary was awarded the Parachute Badge, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea), and the National Defense Service Medal. He was discharged with full honors in 1975. Before he retired, he spent his working years as a telephone cable installer and repairman and bravely climbed telephone poles when others refused. The rest of his years, he spent time being a loving brother and uncle, and to being a doting father and grandfather.

PFC McCreary is survived by his brother Marvin McCreary; his sisters Carolyn McCreary and Senith (McCreary) Saunders; ex-wife and close friend, Jamesena (Turner) McCreary; daughter, Tonya McCreary (Williams) and grandson, Christian P. Williams; his son, Pablo (McCreary) Craft; his nieces Angie, Renee, Karen, Linda, and April; his nephews Michael, James Allen (Carla), and Jeffery; and his great and great-great nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by father James Lee McCreary; mother Dorothy (Baker); brothers, George, Lewis, James Roger, Dorman Franklin, William and Joseph; sister Janice; and nephew D’Juan.

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