James Finney Creider, 94, passed away on March 15, 2011 at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was born on March 4, 1917 in his parents' farm home in Esbon, Kansas to William Claude and Julia Amelia Shute Creider.
Jim grew up during the Great Depression moving with his family to Colorado Springs, Colorado, Broken Arrow, Chandler and Tulsa, Oklahoma as his father took up different jobs and opening various businesses to sustain the family. One of his Tulsa homes was located about a mile from his final earthly home in Berryhill. He had come practically full circle in his Tulsa travels. When World War II flared, Jim joined the US Army Air Corps to be a mechanic. Eventually after completing mechanics school, he was assigned to the Eighth Air Force's 388th Bomb Group, 562nd Squadron out of Wendover Field, Utah. The bomb group soon was deployed to Knettishall Air Base in England where it was involved in many bombing missions to France and Germany. His bomb group also led the air support mission for D-Day on June 7, 1941. While assigned to the 562nd Squadron, he was the ground crew chief for two B-17F Flying Fortress Heavy Bombers, Wolfpack, which was lost with no survivors after 8 missions over France, and Veni Vidi Vicci, which flew 33 missions (8 more than the famous Memphis Belle) before having two engines shot out forcing it to land in Sweden. At one point, his bomb group deployed to Poltava, Ukraine where he was part of secret mission support for the bombing of German industrial targets. The day after his bomb group arrived at the Poltava air base, the Nazi Luftwaffe bombed the base. During the air raid, Jim jumped into one of the hidey holes used during such times as he was experiencing. As he watched Nazi bombs exploding in a line heading straight for the hole he was in, one bomb landed near him and failed to explode. It was a dud. That failure to explode would lead to him living to marry Norma and be the father to three children. After the bombing that destroyed many of the group's bombers, the maintenance crews banded together and rebuilt from the ground up a B-17G bomber using parts from two other heavily damaged bombers. The engineers claimed this plane couldn't fly, advising the crews to not waste their time. As enlisted men would be expected to act, they continued on, successfully rebuilding the bomber and having it successfully flown. The rebuilt bomber continued service flying freight, not bombs. His bomb group earned two Presidential Unit Citations and he was awarded with four Bronze Stars. Because he was older than most of those he served with, he was given the nickname "Pappy". It didn't help that his hairline was already receding.
Jim married Norma Marie Campbell in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 8, 1946. They were married for nearly 65 years. For many years after starting his family, Jim was the sole proprietor of Creider's Produce Company, delivering fresh vegetables and fruit to mom and pop groceries and restaurants all over Tulsa. For many years, he enlisted his sons, Mike and Bob, to help him on the weekends and through the summer with the delivering of produce to his customers. When the big grocery chains invaded Tulsa, the independent grocers closed their doors, ending in short order his business and shutting down the once thriving Trenton Market.
Jim was preceded to Heaven by his parents William and Julia Creider, by his siblings: twin brother Charles Wesley Creider, William Emerson Creider, Sarah Elizabeth Creider Suchanek, John George Creider. After his passing, his wife Norma, his brother John George Creider and niece Beverly Creider Bradley came to join him in Heaven.
At the time of his passing, he was survived by his wife Norma Creider, his brother John George Creider, his children James Michael Creider (Margaret) of Shawnee, Oklahoma, Connie Marie Creider Morris (Hollis) of Prague, Oklahoma and Robert Wesley Creider (Teena) of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was also survived by his grandchildren Alyson Creider, Brett Creider, Holly Cantrell, Katy Creider and Chrissy Medeck ; and his nieces and nephews, Beverly Bradley, Tom Creider, Susan Stackler, Paul Creider, Philip Creider, Janice Sharp, Charles Creider, Mary Altendorf, John Creider and Joseph Creider, Mary Catherine Clark Hardy, David Springer, Katie Campbell, Mark Campbell, Melvin Campbell Jr., Linda Campbell and Dennis Campbell.
A private graveside service was held at Memorial Park Cemetery, located at 5111 South Memorial in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His visitation preceded his graveside service at Moore Funeral