Services for Joseph Weldon "J.W." Gresham are scheduled for Wednesday, August 15, 2018, at 11:00am at Lloyd James Funeral Chapel with Brother Park Robertson officiating. Visitation will be held at 10am immediately prior to the service.
J.W. was born on February 21, 1920, to Mary Ether and J.D. Gresham in Sacul, Texas. J.W. attended Cushing High School where he played on the State Championship basketball team. He continued his education at Kilgore College on a basketball scholarship. In 1941, he met a beautiful school teacher, Ernestine Cheek, whom he married and spent more than 64 years with until her death in 2006. As part of the "greatest generation", J.W. served in World War II where he was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and held as a POW until the war ended.
After the war and with two young daughters, he began his career at Tyler Pipe where he founded the first credit union (now Keystone Credit Union) with a reported $50 as the story goes. After his retirement he was able to enjoy all the things he loved - hunting, golfing, travelling, watching sports of all types and spending time with his beloved family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren to whom he was affectionately known as "Gaugie". J.W. was a Mason for more than 50 years and a member of the Sharon Shrine Temple.
J.W. is preceded in death by his wife and love of his life, Ernestine, his daughter Jo Carole Green, his parents, four brothers and one sister. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Janice and Jack Corley of Tyler; grandchildren Jill Payne, Jeff Corley and wife Shannon, Mindy Howard and husband Donald, and Kyle Sewell, and 8 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers are Chad Payne, Cameron Payne, Mike Gresham, Richard Gresham, Woody Corley and Tom Corley.
Memorials may be made to the Shriner's Hospitals for Children and Hospice of East Texas.
