Virginia Chapman Creekman, age 93, of Lynden, passed away on Dec. 20, 2016.
She was born in 1923 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and had lived in Lynden for the last 20 years. During World War II her artistic talent led her to a job at the Northern Ordnance gun mount factory in Minneapolis, running the all-female blueprint tracing department. She was married for 46 years to Captain Charles Todd Creekman, U.S. Navy, until his death in 1992. His 30-year career in the Navy’s Supply Corps involved 13 moves to duty stations in Hawaii, Tennessee, Canada, Pennsylvania and Virginia. They retired to Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1970 and began their second careers. In 1976 Virginia created Tidewater Originals, a successful needlework business selling her original cross-stitch designs, specializing in lighthouses. This company was active for 13 years and some of her designs are still available.
After her husband’s death, Virginia moved west in 1996 to live at Meadow Greens Retirement Community in Lynden and be near her daughter’s family. She volunteered at Fisher Elementary School for two years and at the Lynden Chamber of Commerce for seven years.
She is survived by a son, retired Navy Captain Charles T. Creekman Jr. (wife Deborah) of Annandale, Virginia; a daughter, Laura L.
Creekman (husband Donald McQuarrie) of Lynden; six grandchildren: Amanda Isaac, Jennifer Bezos and Caroline Creekman, and Heather,
Emily and Nathan McQuarrie; four great-grandchildren: Thomas and Peter Isaac and Arwen and Lorelei Bezos; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service and funeral arrangements are pending. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, sometime in early 2017.
Please share your condolences and memories in the online guestbook at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Lynden.
