Al, 74, passed away on February 9, 2023 at Mesa Valley Estates in Mesquite, Nevada. He was born April 19, 1948, in Worland, Wyo., to Leo Lorn McCreery and Lois Riddle McCreery Mulholland. Al was married to Karen Elizabeth Paisley on August 22, 1970, in Cody, Wyo.
Al was born into a big pioneering family who had settled in the Ten Sleep, Wyo., area in the 1890s. This early exposure playing with his numerous cousins inspired him to be acowboy and adventurer at heart who loved the outdoors. He graduated from Pinedale High School with honors and was a tremendous athlete who played football, basketball and loved to ski. Al earned a scholarship to play football at Westminster College in Salt Lake City before transferring to the University of Wyoming.
During his time at UW, he met the love of his life, Karen, at a dance in Cody. For the rest of their lives they shared their joy of dancing and wherever they were people were amazed with their moves on the dance floor. As Al was an artist, when he would write letters to Karen he would always draw cartoons and other images to express his love for her. Within a couple of years they were married in Cody and moved to Laramie, where Al graduated with a business degree.
After traveling and living in different parts of the country and having lucrative opportunities, he decided to return to Wyoming to raise his family as he didn’t want them growing up in large cities. His son Scott was born in Thermopolis, Wyo., in August 1971 and his daughter Catherine, “Kathy,” was born in Worland, Wyo., in June 1973.
Throughout his life, Al was known for his integrity, kindness and hard work. For 10 years he worked for Hughes Tool Company, winning the outstanding salesman award for the Rocky Mountain region in 1980. Later, he became the owner and president of Rocky Mountain Dry Drilling for twenty years and was part owner of a real estate company in Cody. Al was also a lifetime member of the Cody Elks Club and a member of the Lions Club.
Al was an avid outdoorsman who spent 2-to-3 weeks every year at a hunting camp in the Crandall area near Yellowstone Park with his hunting buddies. He was a masterful marksman and never failed to fill a freezer full of elk to feed his family for the year. Al also loved to be on the water fishing and water skiing and bought a boat that ended up creating decades of memories. He was always fascinated with flying and over the course of seven and half years he built his own airplane, an RV6. During this time, Al was also a flight instructor and guided many people to earn a pilot’s license.
In his youth, Al rode bareback in the rodeo. His love of the cowboy life inspired him to be on the Cody Stampede Board for 23 years, serving in many different roles, including president. During his time on the board, Cody Stampede won the PRCA Large Outdoor Rodeo Committee of the Year for 1998 and 1999. Even towards the end when he was slowing down, he was still out in the arena helping in every way.
In his retirement years during the winter, Al bought a home in Beaver Dam, Arizona, and traveled hundreds of miles in his razor with his “compound” buddies. He always loved the heat and was happy to escape the cold Cody winters. He was loved by everyone and had so much fun.
Al was preceded in death by his brother, Glen McCreery, mother, Lois, stepfather, Wayne Mulholland, father, Pete, stepmothers, Jean and Iris, sister, Lana Marie Mulholland, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws.
Al is survived by his wife of 52 years, Karen McCreery, his two children, Scott McCreery and Kathy (Tim) Mahieu, sisters, Trula Hefley, Donna (Gary) Dunaway, Debra (Pat) Jensen, grandchildren, Grace and Gus Mahieu and Nick McCreery, and numerous beloved family members and friends.
A celebration of life memorial service will be held in the summer of 2023 in Cody, Wyo. Detailed information will be forthcoming. Condolences can be sent to Karen McCreery at 2901 Fuelie Avenue, Cody, WY 82414.
