CREES, Margaret Grace (GRIFFIN)

GRIFFIN, CREES, DRURY, ANNALORA, ROWAN, CLABAUGH, KING, FENNEY, BEAR, ALLEY

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/29/2016 at 21:37:47

Obituary ~ Margaret Grace (Griffin) Crees
October 12, 1916 ~ July 16, 2001

Margaret Grace Griffin Crees, the sixth child of James Arthur “Art” and Daisy Mary Drury Griffin, was born Oct. 12, 1916, on a farm near Yuma, Colo. and died July 16, 2001, at Westview Acres Care Center in Leon. She was 84.

Her family moved to Nebraska. When she was almost five years old they moved in a covered wagon to the southern Iowa, northern Missouri area.

She lived most of her life in Decatur County where she graduated from Garden Grove High School in 1934.

She married Creal Ray Crees on Aug. 10, 1934. The couple became the parents of seven children, Mary Margaret, Crealetta, Richard, Ronald, Bobby, Carol and Randy. She dedicated her entire life to her husband and children. She also liked raising a big garden and flowers.

Mr. and Mrs. Crees also lived in Estherville and California. After her husband died, she returned in 1977, to live in Grand River. She moved to Hillside Apartments in Leon in September 1999. She moved to Westview Acres Care Center in January 2001.

Mrs. Crees accepted the Lord in 1930. She was a member of the Grand River United Methodist Church and later a member of the Decatur United Methodist Church.

Preceding her in death in addition to her husband were her parents; one son, Richard Crees; a great-grandson, Michael Annalora; a sister, Inez Rowan and four brothers, infants Chester and Bryan Griffin, LeRoy Griffin and Graydon Griffin.

Mrs. Crees is survived by three daughters, Mary Margaret Clabaugh and her husband, Don Clabaugh, of Estherville, Crealetta King and friend Jim Fenney of Lake Forest, Calif. and Carol Bear of Edgewater, Fla. and Don Bear of Winterset; three sons, Ronald Crees and his wife, Pat Crees, of Highland, Calif., Bobby Crees and his wife, Russ Crees, of Ann Arbor, Mich. and Randy Crees and his wife, Lia Crees, of Grants Pass, Ore.; 19 grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; two stepgreat-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; a sister, Louanna Alley and her husband, Claude Alley, of Leon; a sister-in-law, Katherine Griffin of Leon; other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were July 20 at Slade-O’Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, Pastor Robin Thomas officiated. Pianist Charletta Durell sang God Will Take Care of You and In the Garden.

Casket bearers were grandsons, Bill Bassett, Jeremy Bear, Tyler Bear, Randy Clabaugh, Bobby Blu Crees, David Crees, Josh Crees, Mark Crees, Richard Crees and Sean Crees.

Interment was in Oak Hill Cemetery near Grand River.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2016