Creed D. Tucker passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Friday, September 6, 2013.

Creed was born April 30, 1924, in Glendale, Calif., to Constance Davis and Creed Airol Tucker. His father was a pharmacist and his mother was a homemaker. In 1933 Creed's father had the opportunity to return to Illinois to run the family farms in Pesotum, and the family moved to Illinois. As his parents were great travelers, Creed's youth was spent between Pesotum and Glendale.

After graduating high school from Peekskill Military Academy in Peekskill, N.Y., Creed began attending the University of Illinois. But, like so many others during this era, his education was cut short by World War II. He was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and served for just more than three years. The majority of his naval service was as the executive officer aboard a 135-foot converted tuna clipper, a refrigerated commissary ship for the Pacific Fleet. He also participated in the liberation of the Philippines.

After the war was over, Creed returned to the University of Illinois, where he graduated with a degree in journalism in 1948. As he missed California, Creed chose to begin his journalism career covering the police beat for the Los Angeles Mirror. While he enjoyed the majority of his time at the L.A. Mirror, he came to realize that this was not his final calling. He decided that he would return to Illinois to attend law school.

Creed graduated from the University of Illinois Law School in 1953 and worked in private practice in Champaign for a number of years before his wanderlust kicked in again. He wanted to find a way to use both his journalism and law degrees, and joined the U.S. State Department in the Foreign Service. For his first two years he served in Washington, D.C., as a Passport Attorney and later was assigned as an Information Officer in Recife, Brazil, for three years.

Creed returned to Illinois in 1965 and a year later was elected a Circuit Judge in Champaign County. Creed spent 23 years on the bench, concluding his career as the Presiding Judge of the 6th Judicial Circuit. After retirement in 1990, Creed remained active in the law and served as counsel with the law firm of Dobbins, Fraker, Tennant, Joy & Perlstein in Champaign.

Creed was affiliated throughout his life with Alpha Delta Phi social fraternity, Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity and Sigma Delta Chi journalism honorary. Additionally, Creed was a Mason and a Shriner, a member of the American Bar Association and a 50-year member of the Illinois State Bar Association. He also served on the Board of Governors of the Champaign County Bar association.

As his entire life attested, Creed enjoyed nothing more than traveling to see new places and to meet new people, and continued his travels long into his retirement. Creed would often tell us "life is a book of many chapters," and his own life proved this saying to be true.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Constance Allen; three children, Samuel A., Creed T. (Jessica) and Jane A. Renfro (John); two step-children, Lloyd M. McClure and Merredith M. Dodds (Alan); eight grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and one great-grandson. He was predeceased by one child, April Jane.

According to the decedent's wishes, there will be a graveside service open to family and friends on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. at the Davis Cemetery, Pesotum. The service will be followed by a celebration of Creed's life at the Champaign Country Club.

Donations may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 2001 S. Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63131, the Eastern Illinois Food Bank or an organization of the donor's choice.

Arrangements were completed by the Morgan Memorial Home, 1304 Regency Drive West, Savoy.