Birth Date: 10/07/1926
Deceased Date: 10/07/2021
(Mary) Louise Brown Creech, born October 7, 1926, died October 7, 2021, on her 95th birthday, following a period of declining health. She was the daughter of the late Query Vester and Lula Pittman Brown. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Bennie Ree Creech. She was also predeceased by five siblings, brothers, Arlen Brown, Wilton (Shorty) Brown, and Johnnie Brown, and sisters Vella Parrish and Eloise Stuckey. She was named Mary Louise after both of her grandmothers, though as an adult she went only by Louise, with just the family still calling her Mary Louise.
Louise was born on a small farm near Micro, close by the railroad tracks, and cherished her memories of growing up with her siblings and friends in that area, even though times were tough. When she was a teenager, the family moved to a larger farm north of Selma, where she would spend most of the rest of her life.
Louise worked for the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield for much of her adult life, most of it as librarian for the bookmobile. In the late fifties, she was one of three library employees who traveled to Ohio to pick up Johnston County’s first bookmobile. She worked on the bookmobile until the birth of her son, at which time she stopped to become a full-time mother. When her son became a teenager, she returned to work at the library, and eventually to the bookmobile, where she worked until 1997, when told the county’s insurance would not allow a 70 year old to drive the large vehicle. She always said the bookmobile was the perfect job for her, as she enjoyed the visits with the regular patrons, and their children, every 4 weeks, and enjoyed helping to select the books that suited each person’s taste. She continued to work part-time at the desk of the library until 2003, when she finally fully retired.
Louise enjoyed talking to others and traveling, and wished for the opportunity to travel more. She was not a successful gardener, but enjoyed beautiful flowers. She enjoyed reading from an early age and was a dedicated reader until the past couple of years, as macular degeneration made doing so more difficult. When younger, she was a walker before it became popular, routinely walking 2 miles daily on a path that took her by the homes of her brothers and older sister. She truly loved her Momma and Poppa and brothers and sisters, and talked of them often. As with any siblings, there were disagreements, but there was always love.
She is survived by her son, Mark Creech, of Selma. She is also survived by a sister-in-law, Alease Brown of Selma, a cousin, James Pittman of Smithfield, and numerous nieces and nephews, whom she also loved greatly. Special love to niece Judy Langston, who provided much companionship during her last year, and aided in her care so much at the end. Thanks also to the staff of Johnston Home Health and Hospice for their help at the end.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 10, 2021 in the chapel of Parrish Funeral Home with Rev. Duane Casey officiating. Burial will follow in Creech’s Church Cemetery in Kenly. The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Sunday just before the service at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at parrishfh.com.
