1922 - 2016 Garland Gresham, 94, of Orange passed away Friday, March 4, 2016 at his home surrounded by family. Funeral Services will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 7, 2016 at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Officiating will be Pastor Randy Branch of Wesley United Methodist Church. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Serving as pallbearers will be Dr. Charles Day, Gus Harris, Dan Harris, Bubba Harris, Lee Harris, Fred Copeland, Leo Perry and Bill Blackwell. Honorary pallbearers will be JoJo Harris and The Sheriff's Posse Friends. A gathering of family and friends will be Sunday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Born in Sacul, TX on January 25, 1922, he was the son of Lewis E. Gresham and Mattie Mae Ballard. He served honorably in the United States Army during World War II and worked as a mechanical supervisor for DuPont. Mr. Gresham was a former member of Park Avenue Methodist Church and a current member of the First United Methodist Church and a 60 year member of the 126 Masonic Lodge. He enjoyed riding his horse with friends, watching bullriding and most of all spending time with his great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Gertrude Sister, Annie Fay, Randolph, John Henry, Joe Bob and Billy Lewis. He is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Helen Gresham; children, Patti Goforth of Orange and Joe Don Gresham and wife, Cassie of Houston; grandchildren, Emily Lowe and husband, Mike and Keet Goforth and wife, Shanon and great grandchildren, Hanna Lowe and Cooper Lowe. He is also survived by his brother, Travis Pete Greshan and wife, Janice; devoted friend, Dorothy Sexton and numerous nieces and nephews. Mr. Gresham's family would like to thank River City Hospice and his wonderful caregivers, Joseph Williams and Shanon Goforth. In lieu of flowers his family asks that donations be made in his honor to The Methodist Children's Home, 1111 Herring Ave., Waco, TX 76708.
Published by The Beaumont Enterprise on Mar. 6, 2016.
Skilled occupations in building of aircraft, n.e.c.
Enlistment Date
20 Mar 1944
Enlistment Place
Camp Wolters, Texas
Service Number
38682528
Branch
No branch assignment
Component
Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source
Civil Life
Height
00
Weight
600
Was taken prisoner during the Battle of The Bulge
Name
Joseph W Gresham
Residence Place
USA
Report Date
21 Dec 1944
Latest Report Date
Jun 1945
Grade
Private
Grade Notes
Cadet, USMA or Chief Warrant Officer or Private or Apprentice, Seaman
Arm or Service
Infantry
Arm or Service Code
Infantry
Organization Type
Branch Immaterial/Infantry Division Band/Dental Corps/Medical Department
Parent Unit Type
Group/Regiment/Commands/System
Area Served
European Theatre: Germany
Detaining Country
Germany
Camp
Stalag 4A Hohnstein (Airfield at Dresden-Klotsche) (No Base Camps: 13 Work Camps) Saxony 51-14
Status
Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated
Report Source
Individual has been reported through sources considered official.
J.D. Greshem and his wife Ernestine Cheek. They Married October 31, 1945
J
oseph Weldon "J.W." Gresham 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. passed away August 11, 2018 in Tyler, Smith County, Texas. He was buried at Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery in Tyler Texas.