Joan P. McCreery, 84, Enjoyed NASCAR

She was born in Cleveland on March 24, 1941 and was a 1959 graduate of Lourdes Academy; in 1964 she relocated to Sheffield Lake.

For more than a decade she had worked as a production assistant for the Lithonia Downlighting Company. Afterward, she dedicated countless hours as a volunteer at Life Share Community Blood Services as well as its successor, Vitalant Blood Donation Service.

Joan was a life member of the Auxiliaries of AMVETS Post 55 and VFW Post # 8686 both in Sheffield Lake. She held all veterans in high esteem and never missed an opportunity to thank them for their service to our country. That gratitude was always genuine and delivered deep from within her heart and never conveyed just to be politically correct.

She enjoyed NASCAR and was an ardent fan of stock car racer Bill Elliott; Joan looked forward to traveling twice each year to the Michigan International Speedway to witness the oval track action there. She also liked trips to Mansfield Speedway to watch the Craftsman Truck Series racing as well as events hosted locally at Lorain County Speedway in South Amherst. Joan, albeit not known by many, also once served as a movie extra during the filming and production of the movie Annabelle and the Bear during one of her Michigan trips..

Additional interest included following all Cleveland professional sports franchises as well as reading. She possessed a particular interest in mystery novels and, in particular, the works of James Patterson.

She is survived by her husband of fifty-two years Robert McCreery, daughter Mary Katherine Staver (Richard) of Jacksonville, Florida along with sons David Wilhelms of North Royalton and Robert “Rob” (Nicole) McCreery of Wellington Additional survivors include grandchildren Brittany, Brandon, Brooke, Parker, Michael, Jacen, and Ratty, great grandchildren Zoe and Ryleigh, sisters Karen Yantek (Mike) of Strongsville, and brother Lester Boenhen of Elyria.

Joan was preceded in death by her daughter Dawn Marie McCreery, granddaughters McKenzie and Lauren, father Lester Boenhen, and mother Beverly Boenhen (nee Ray).

Visitation will be Thursday from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. in the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel – 3224 Broadway. Funeral services will take place there Friday at 11:00 a.m. Reverend David Leucke will officiate. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memory Gardens, Avon.

In lieu of flowers, Joan’s family encourages you to consider a memorial donation via cash or check to VFW Post 8686 – 577 Harris Road – Sheffield Lake, Ohio 44054 or to the Samuel L. Felton, Jr. Valor Home of Lorain via an electronic offering using the following link: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E159217&id=51.