Obituary

Thomas “Tom” William Creech, 68, of Gold Canyon, AZ, passed away peacefully at home on September 25, 2024, surrounded by his family. Born on April 7, 1956, in Elizabethtown, KY, Tom moved with his family to Cincinnati, OH and later to New Castle, IN. He graduated in 1974 from Walter P. Chrysler High School and graduated in 1979 from General Motors Institute in Flint, MI, where he earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and was a brother of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. In 1983, Tom and Cindy fell in love and were married that December after a whirlwind 9 months. They enjoyed over 40 years of marital bliss. In 1985, they moved to Michigan where they lived for 30 years, establishing their careers and raising their kids (David and Terri) in Clarkston, MI. While juggling his life and career, he earned an M.S. in Engineering Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, in 2002.

Tom had a 33-year career at General Motors in product engineering leadership, retiring in December 2008 with new goals and purpose. He focused his energy on education and mentorship, embracing a second career teaching mathematics and serving as the interim Dean of Graduate Studies at Kettering University, influencing many lives through his commitment to his students. After his second retirement in 2018, Tom and Cindy enjoyed winters at their home in Arizona and traveled in their RV and abroad during the summer, with a special love of the National Parks.

In June 2021, Tom was diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer. He received excellent care with surgery at Henry Ford Hospital and all subsequent treatments under the care of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. In the summer of 2022, Tom and Cindy also pursued an experimental, personalized immunotherapy vaccine treatment in Germany which likely helped him maintain a high quality of life for 15 months without chemotherapy. After a recurrence in July 2024, Tom’s cancer quickly progressed before his passing three months later.

Tom’s leadership and influence left a positive impact on many. He was active at both the local and council level of Boy Scouts of America with his son David and volunteered his leadership with the Mission Committee at his church.

Tom, an active person and a lifelong golfer, began running in his 50s, completing multiple half marathons and other races with Terri, even completing a 10K race this past February. He enjoyed road cycling and was proud of completing the RAGBRAI twice, an epic eight-day ride across Iowa. His favorite sport, however, was pickleball! He was impressive on the court with his grit and positivity, remaining competitive even during his cancer fight. The patterns of line dancing were helpful for Tom and he will be missed on the dance floor. He cherished time spent with his friends and family, and was known for his big hugs, quick wit, and thoughtful conversations.

Tom was a member of the Clarkston United Methodist Church, where his Celebration of Life will be held on October 19, 2024, at 11 a.m. with visiting hours beginning at 10 a.m.

He is survived by his loving wife Cindy, mother Ruth Creech, brother Jim (Valli LaNeve) Creech, son David (Marie) Creech, and daughter Terri Creech. He was preceded in death by his father, James Charles Creech.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, contributions can be made to (1) Mayo Clinic Phoenix at philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/donateMC, (2) a non-profit organization founded by his beloved neuro-oncologist which elevates diversity in the medical field at elevatemed.org, (3) supporting natural disaster relief (D.R.A.W.) at drawbuckets.org, (4) donating blood, or (5) donating to the charity of your choice in his memory. This gesture reflects Tom’s commitment to helping others and supporting community health initiatives. Tom lived a full life and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.