Frederikus P. Creemers

short illness. He was 86 years old.

A native of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Fred made the United States

his home in 1955. He worked as an accountant for Jones & Laughlin

Steel Company in Detroit, Michigan, until 1983, when he and his wife,

Jean, moved to Florida.

In Clearwater, Fred worked as a certified nursing assistant in the

physical and occupational therapy departments at Morton Plant

Hospital, retiring in 1994. It was about then that he started

donating blood again. Fred became a lifelong blood donor in Michigan

after Jean needed emergency surgery, and several blood transfusions,

in 1957.

In Florida he was a pheresis donor. More than 61 gallons of platelets

and plasma taken from his blood were used to help people suffering

from leukemia and cancer. The process usually took two hours, and he

donated from 1993 until 2009, when he developed heart trouble.

Representatives of Florida Blood Services said he helped save

hundreds of lives with his donations.

Fred loved to travel. He and Jean went to the Netherlands to visit

their parents, brothers and sisters many times. In 2006 they took

their children and grandchildren there as a way to celebrate their

50th wedding anniversary.

They also visited Italy, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, England

and Scotland as well as many areas of the United States. Fred’s other

avocation was Latin church music. He sang in choirs in Michigan and

Florida until a few months ago.

In addition to his wife of 55 years, Fred leaves a son, Robert

Creemers and wife Jenny, of Tampa, two daughters, Debbie Creemers

and husband Tim Simmons, of Raleigh, NC, and Shawn Vanderworp

and husband Raymond, of Spring, Texas. Fred also leaves four brothers

and sisters, Len Schippers and husband Cor,

Paul Creemers and wife Coby, Cornelius Creemers and wife Joke,

and Thea van Dijk and husband Jacques, all of the Netherlands,

seven grandchildren, Lindsay Wynn, Shelby Creemers, Jessica Mier

and husband Francisco, Steven Vanderworp, Matthew Vanderworp,

Kirsten Simmons, Kate Simmons and Joe Simmons,

and one great grandchild, Gabriel Mier.

A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 17, 2011

at St. Edward Catholic Church in Spring, Texas.