Published June 25, 2008 Arizona Range News Willcox, AZ
On June 9, 2008, we lost a treasured family member, a true friend and an inspirational teacher and mentor to many young people. He leaves us to mourn and to miss him, but also to celebrate the life that he lived and the joy, dignity and high moral standards with which he lived it. We will always remember him with smiles and laughter as we picture him telling a story and getting so tickled he could barely finish it.
His parents, his sisters Edith Hayter and Doris Porter and his brother Ross Creamer, preceded Keith in death. His wife, best friend, partner, and soul mate of almost 59 years, Joyce, survives him. Immediate family members surviving Keith are Jerri Flaming, Donna (Fred) Schmelzla, Joe, Bill, and Tom Creamer. Surviving extended family members include Marty Ellis, Katy Flaming, Jo Nelle (Doty) Jordan, Beth (Don) Sikes, Loyd (Joanne) Creamer, Marie Creamer and numerous nieces and nephews.
Stanley Keith Creamer was born Feb. 6, 1926 in Dora, N.M. to Joseph Wesley and Winnie Battle Creamer. He attended the Dora schools where he excelled in sports, particularly baseball. Immediately after graduation from Dora High School he joined the Navy, which was quite a challenge for a farm boy who had never seen a body of water larger than a stock pond. For the next two years until the end of World War II, he served honorably aboard several different Liberty ships, which were hastily built and were known as "death traps".
After his discharge, he attended Eastern New Mexico University on his veteran's benefits and a basketball scholarship. There "Hoot", as he was called, met and married his lifelong love, Evelyn Joyce Christmas, and they started their family while living in the veteran's housing provided by the university. He was offered a contract to play professional baseball, but chose the more lucrative job of delivering bread in order to support his family. Keith taught school and worked various jobs in and around Portales and Dora, New Mexico, for several years before moving to Bowie, Ariz., where he taught and coached basketball. He was responsible for starting a baseball program in the school and also for Little League and later on he started a six-man football program for the school. The remainder of his teaching career was spent in Willcox, Ariz., where he was named the head baseball coach and he taught there until his retirement.
Buying and selling used farm equipment was another of Keith's interests, but a tractor accident in 1980 caused him to lose his arm. He then became an auctioneer and worked for several years at the county fairs and other venues selling the small animal and other projects for the members of the FFA and 4-H. During his later years, he established a small business selling cast iron pots and he enjoyed going on his "potting" trips where he made many more friends.
Keith was a man of many interests and talents. First and foremost, he loved his family, but he also loved his church and his friends. He had a life-ling love of sports, and he also loved all aspects of the Western or "cowboy" life, having participated in roping and other rodeo events. He also liked to attend the Cowboy Camp meetings and particularly enjoyed the story telling and the singing. His greatest legacy is as a teacher. He not only taught the lessons from the books, but the life lessons, the discipline, and the moral values that so many former students live by even now. As one of his good friends noted, "Keith walked the walk."
On June 9, 2008, we lost a treasured family member, a true friend and an inspirational teacher and mentor to many young people. He leaves us to mourn and to miss him, but also to celebrate the life that he lived and the joy, dignity and high moral standards with which he lived it. We will always remember him with smiles and laughter as we picture him telling a story and getting so tickled he could barely finish it.
His parents, his sisters Edith Hayter and Doris Porter and his brother Ross Creamer, preceded Keith in death. His wife, best friend, partner, and soul mate of almost 59 years, Joyce, survives him. Immediate family members surviving Keith are Jerri Flaming, Donna (Fred) Schmelzla, Joe, Bill, and Tom Creamer. Surviving extended family members include Marty Ellis, Katy Flaming, Jo Nelle (Doty) Jordan, Beth (Don) Sikes, Loyd (Joanne) Creamer, Marie Creamer and numerous nieces and nephews.
Stanley Keith Creamer was born Feb. 6, 1926 in Dora, N.M. to Joseph Wesley and Winnie Battle Creamer. He attended the Dora schools where he excelled in sports, particularly baseball. Immediately after graduation from Dora High School he joined the Navy, which was quite a challenge for a farm boy who had never seen a body of water larger than a stock pond. For the next two years until the end of World War II, he served honorably aboard several different Liberty ships, which were hastily built and were known as "death traps".
After his discharge, he attended Eastern New Mexico University on his veteran's benefits and a basketball scholarship. There "Hoot", as he was called, met and married his lifelong love, Evelyn Joyce Christmas, and they started their family while living in the veteran's housing provided by the university. He was offered a contract to play professional baseball, but chose the more lucrative job of delivering bread in order to support his family. Keith taught school and worked various jobs in and around Portales and Dora, New Mexico, for several years before moving to Bowie, Ariz., where he taught and coached basketball. He was responsible for starting a baseball program in the school and also for Little League and later on he started a six-man football program for the school. The remainder of his teaching career was spent in Willcox, Ariz., where he was named the head baseball coach and he taught there until his retirement.
Buying and selling used farm equipment was another of Keith's interests, but a tractor accident in 1980 caused him to lose his arm. He then became an auctioneer and worked for several years at the county fairs and other venues selling the small animal and other projects for the members of the FFA and 4-H. During his later years, he established a small business selling cast iron pots and he enjoyed going on his "potting" trips where he made many more friends.
Keith was a man of many interests and talents. First and foremost, he loved his family, but he also loved his church and his friends. He had a life-ling love of sports, and he also loved all aspects of the Western or "cowboy" life, having participated in roping and other rodeo events. He also liked to attend the Cowboy Camp meetings and particularly enjoyed the story telling and the singing. His greatest legacy is as a teacher. He not only taught the lessons from the books, but the life lessons, the discipline, and the moral values that so many former students live by even now. As one of his good friends noted, "Keith walked the walk."
Published June 25, 2008 Arizona Range News Willcox, AZ
On June 9, 2008, we lost a treasured family member, a true friend and an inspirational teacher and mentor to many young people. He leaves us to mourn and to miss him, but also to celebrate the life that he lived and the joy, dignity and high moral standards with which he lived it. We will always remember him with smiles and laughter as we picture him telling a story and getting so tickled he could barely finish it.
His parents, his sisters Edith Hayter and Doris Porter and his brother Ross Creamer, preceded Keith in death. His wife, best friend, partner, and soul mate of almost 59 years, Joyce, survives him. Immediate family members surviving Keith are Jerri Flaming, Donna (Fred) Schmelzla, Joe, Bill, and Tom Creamer. Surviving extended family members include Marty Ellis, Katy Flaming, Jo Nelle (Doty) Jordan, Beth (Don) Sikes, Loyd (Joanne) Creamer, Marie Creamer and numerous nieces and nephews.
Stanley Keith Creamer was born Feb. 6, 1926 in Dora, N.M. to Joseph Wesley and Winnie Battle Creamer. He attended the Dora schools where he excelled in sports, particularly baseball. Immediately after graduation from Dora High School he joined the Navy, which was quite a challenge for a farm boy who had never seen a body of water larger than a stock pond. For the next two years until the end of World War II, he served honorably aboard several different Liberty ships, which were hastily built and were known as "death traps".
After his discharge, he attended Eastern New Mexico University on his veteran's benefits and a basketball scholarship. There "Hoot", as he was called, met and married his lifelong love, Evelyn Joyce Christmas, and they started their family while living in the veteran's housing provided by the university. He was offered a contract to play professional baseball, but chose the more lucrative job of delivering bread in order to support his family. Keith taught school and worked various jobs in and around Portales and Dora, New Mexico, for several years before moving to Bowie, Ariz., where he taught and coached basketball. He was responsible for starting a baseball program in the school and also for Little League and later on he started a six-man football program for the school. The remainder of his teaching career was spent in Willcox, Ariz., where he was named the head baseball coach and he taught there until his retirement.
Buying and selling used farm equipment was another of Keith's interests, but a tractor accident in 1980 caused him to lose his arm. He then became an auctioneer and worked for several years at the county fairs and other venues selling the small animal and other projects for the members of the FFA and 4-H. During his later years, he established a small business selling cast iron pots and he enjoyed going on his "potting" trips where he made many more friends.
Keith was a man of many interests and talents. First and foremost, he loved his family, but he also loved his church and his friends. He had a life-ling love of sports, and he also loved all aspects of the Western or "cowboy" life, having participated in roping and other rodeo events. He also liked to attend the Cowboy Camp meetings and particularly enjoyed the story telling and the singing. His greatest legacy is as a teacher. He not only taught the lessons from the books, but the life lessons, the discipline, and the moral values that so many former students live by even now. As one of his good friends noted, "Keith walked the walk."
On June 9, 2008, we lost a treasured family member, a true friend and an inspirational teacher and mentor to many young people. He leaves us to mourn and to miss him, but also to celebrate the life that he lived and the joy, dignity and high moral standards with which he lived it. We will always remember him with smiles and laughter as we picture him telling a story and getting so tickled he could barely finish it.
His parents, his sisters Edith Hayter and Doris Porter and his brother Ross Creamer, preceded Keith in death. His wife, best friend, partner, and soul mate of almost 59 years, Joyce, survives him. Immediate family members surviving Keith are Jerri Flaming, Donna (Fred) Schmelzla, Joe, Bill, and Tom Creamer. Surviving extended family members include Marty Ellis, Katy Flaming, Jo Nelle (Doty) Jordan, Beth (Don) Sikes, Loyd (Joanne) Creamer, Marie Creamer and numerous nieces and nephews.
Stanley Keith Creamer was born Feb. 6, 1926 in Dora, N.M. to Joseph Wesley and Winnie Battle Creamer. He attended the Dora schools where he excelled in sports, particularly baseball. Immediately after graduation from Dora High School he joined the Navy, which was quite a challenge for a farm boy who had never seen a body of water larger than a stock pond. For the next two years until the end of World War II, he served honorably aboard several different Liberty ships, which were hastily built and were known as "death traps".
After his discharge, he attended Eastern New Mexico University on his veteran's benefits and a basketball scholarship. There "Hoot", as he was called, met and married his lifelong love, Evelyn Joyce Christmas, and they started their family while living in the veteran's housing provided by the university. He was offered a contract to play professional baseball, but chose the more lucrative job of delivering bread in order to support his family. Keith taught school and worked various jobs in and around Portales and Dora, New Mexico, for several years before moving to Bowie, Ariz., where he taught and coached basketball. He was responsible for starting a baseball program in the school and also for Little League and later on he started a six-man football program for the school. The remainder of his teaching career was spent in Willcox, Ariz., where he was named the head baseball coach and he taught there until his retirement.
Buying and selling used farm equipment was another of Keith's interests, but a tractor accident in 1980 caused him to lose his arm. He then became an auctioneer and worked for several years at the county fairs and other venues selling the small animal and other projects for the members of the FFA and 4-H. During his later years, he established a small business selling cast iron pots and he enjoyed going on his "potting" trips where he made many more friends.
Keith was a man of many interests and talents. First and foremost, he loved his family, but he also loved his church and his friends. He had a life-ling love of sports, and he also loved all aspects of the Western or "cowboy" life, having participated in roping and other rodeo events. He also liked to attend the Cowboy Camp meetings and particularly enjoyed the story telling and the singing. His greatest legacy is as a teacher. He not only taught the lessons from the books, but the life lessons, the discipline, and the moral values that so many former students live by even now. As one of his good friends noted, "Keith walked the walk."
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