John Preston Creer passed away peacefully on Friday, January 30, 2015 in Salt Lake City after a long illness, surrounded by his family.
He was born March 14, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York to Frank Brockbank Creer and Sara Moyle Creer. He married his devoted wife, Jennie Allen, on August 28, 1956 in the Salt Lake Temple.
He attended the Salt Lake public schools, including Bryant Jr. High and East High School, graduated from the University of Utah, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, and received his Juris Doctor from George Washington Law School. John made unusually long-lasting friendships, some of which started in grade school. He and Jennie joined a dinner group during their college years that still meets monthly today.
He served four full-time missions; the first in the British Mission where he later returned with his wife to serve in the Preston, England Temple, then in the Rhode Island Providence Mission and as service missionaries in the Inner City Mission in Salt Lake City. Among other callings, John served as Bishop, Gospel Doctrine Teacher, and early morning Seminary Teacher at Highland High School and as a veil worker for over 20 years.
John Preston practiced law in Salt Lake City from 1962 until 1999. He developed his love for the law as a young boy, talking with his grandfather James H. Moyle, who was the first attorney in Utah with a law degree.
John Preston had a passion for being involved, having served on many civic organizations throughout his life. Coming from a politically-active family, he was a Salt Lake County Commissioner at age 29, and was later a candidate for Attorney General and Governor, following in the footsteps of several of his relatives.
His great passions in life were his family, the gospel of Jesus Christ, Hebgen Lake and skiing. He loved spending time with his family in the red cliffs of southern Utah, every summer at his cabin on Hebgen Lake in Montana and on the ski slopes of his beloved mountains. He started skiing at Alta in 1940 when there was but one ski lift in all of Utah. He loved telling people about the Gospel on ski lifts, on airplanes and in everyday conversations.
He is survived by his loving wife and children ‚ Sara Jayne (Brad) Romney; Catherine (Tom) Toronto; John Preston (Jane) Creer; Frank Moyle (Julie) Creer; and Stephen Louis Allen (Javila) Creer; fifteen adoring grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings Alice Marsh, Sally (Brooke) Grant, Caroline Pinney, Elizabeth Buehner and David (Joan) Creer.
The family expresses thanks to the staff of the University of Utah Hospital and to his friends and caregivers at the Mt. Olympus Rehabilitation Center, with special mention of Dr. Tom Caine and Dr. Ted Kimball.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at the Federal Heights Ward (1300 E. Fairfax Road, Salt Lake City). A viewing will be held on Wednesday evening, February 4, 2015 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Larkin Sunset Lawn Mortuary (2350 E. 1300 South, Salt Lake City) and before the services from 10:00-11:30 a.m. at the Federal Heights chapel. Interment will follow the services at the Salt Lake City Cemetery (200 N Street, Salt Lake City).
Remembrances can be sent to the family at larkinmortuary.com.
