Virginia (Chapman) Creekman

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Creekman, Virginia Chapman age 93 of Lynden, Washington passed away on December 20, 2016. She was born in 1923 in Minneapolis, MN and has 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-long 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, VA 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, she moved west in 1996 to live at Meadow Greens Retirement Community in Lynden, WA to be near her daughter's family. There she volunteered at the Fisher Elementary School for 2 years and at the Lynden Chamber of Commerce for 7 years. She is survived by two children; a son, retired Navy Captain Charles T. Creekman, Jr. (wife Deborah) of Annandale, VA and a daughter, Laura L. Creekman (husband Donald McQuarrie) of Lynden, WA; six grandchildren; Amanda Isaac, Jennifer Bezos, Caroline Creekman, and Heather, Emily and Nathan McQuarrie; and four great-grandchildren, Thomas and Peter Isaac and Arwen and Lorelei Bezos; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial service and funeral arrangements are pending. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA sometime in early 2017. Guestbook: gilliesfuneralhome.com Arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Lynden.

Published on January 8, 2017