Lee Holiday Richcreek, 1899-1989

Lee Richcreek was born in Staunton, Virginia, on September 8, 1899. Almost a century later, he died in Staunton on December 15, 1989. Central Church was his home church, from which he went on to serve as minister in three annual conferences.

Lee was educated at Randolph-Macon College. He began in 1923 to serve in the Baltimore conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He was elected to full connection in 1925 and was ordained in 1927. He served churches in Maryland and Pennsylvania as well as Tom's Brook and White Post charges in what now is the Virginia Annual Conference. While serving at Tom's Brook, Lee met, courted and married Sally Chiles of Strasburg, to whom he was a faithful and loving husband until her death. When northern and southern churches merged in 1939, Lee remained in the Baltimore conference, serving churches in Cumberland, Baltimore and the Eastern Shore of Maryland until 1948. In that year he transferred to the Virginia Annual Conference serving Sledd Memorial in Danville, Tazell Avenue (now Calvary, Salem) and Memorial Church in Appomattox, Grace Church (then Warwick, now Newport News), Scott Memorial in Virginia Beach, and South Hill Church. He retired in 1967.

Lee Richcreek continued in retirement to serve the church doing pulpit supply as long as his health permitted. He lovingly and devotedly cared for the needs of his invalid wife as long as she lived. To his last days he enjoyed hearing the news of the annual conference. He was to the end a Methodist preacher.

I will remember Lee as one who was faithful to his spouse above and beyond the call of duty. He was faithful to his church and its mysteries to the end of his days. He was a Methodist preacher, proud of it, and grateful for the calling.

-James A. Hewitt