Neculai Cretu

Neculai Cretu, age 92 passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family and entered heavens gates on Wednesday March 22, 2023 in Surprise, Arizona. He was born on May 9, 1930 in Hăneşti Botoșani, Romania to the union of Mihai Cretu and Hareta Calancea. As a young man his family moved to Brasov, Romania in March 1950 where he started working at Universal Traktoren Brasov as a machinist lineman. In November of that year he was drafted into the Romanian Army as a tank artillery operator where he served for three years. Once honorably discharged from the Army he returned to Brasov where he continued to work at the same factory for 32 years. He started attending Biserica Crestina Dupa Evanghelie in Brasov where he accepted Christ and was baptized in May of 1954. He was an active member of that church and served faithfully in many capacities such as helping remodel the new church in Bartolomeu, youth ministries, treasurer, usher, evangelist, mens choir, violinist, and composed his own poems and songs for the church. During those years Neculai met Eleonora at church and from there their love story began. On May 20, 1956 Eleonora Modorcea and Neculai Cretu married in Tantari, Brasov. From this union came 5 children that they raised with love and Gods word. He immigrated to the United States with his family on October 20, 1982 and was proud to be a U.S. citizen. He worked until his retirement at Lincoln Technical Institute, Norridge. Illinois and was the founding chairman of The Romanian Christian Gospel Assembly, Harwood Hts., Illinois. In the year 2002 he moved to Arizona to spend his retirement years.

Beloved Husband of the late Eleonora on December 13, 2017, Loving father of Daniela (Gelu) Dubei of Glendale, AZ, Stefan (Sharon) Cretu of Sun City, AZ, Magdalena “Coca” (Irving R. III) Symonds of Lake Forest, IL, Eleonora (Sorin) Teodor of Surprise, AZ and Emanuel (Nicoletta) Cretu of Lake In The Hills, Illinois. Fond grandfather of Claudia (Catalin “Victor”) Popa of Florida, Daniel (Kendra) Dubei of Queen Creek, AZ, Simona Dubei of Surprise, AZ, Ligia (Chris) Atudoroae of Glendale, AZ, Benone (Dianna) Dubei of Scottsdale, AZ, Magdalena (John) Burgess of Highwood, IL. Erika Eleonora Symonds (Boyfriend Shawn Rieke) of Lake Forest, IL, Alice Teodor of Surprise, AZ, Sorina Teodor (fiancé Michael Davidson) of Boise, Idaho, Nicole Cretu of Brasov, Romania and Monica Cretu of Brasov, Romania. Great grandfather of David, Corina and Bianca Popa, Lukas, Wyatt, Carter and Greyson Dubei, Gabriel and Julian Ilciuc and Kevin Davidson. Fond uncle of Mytel (Luminita) Cretu on London, Ontario, Canada, Mihai (Lavinia) Cretu of Brasov, Romania, and Ionel Cretu of Brasov, Romania and the late Michael (Isabel) Lingner of Canada. Great uncle to Michael Van Lingner, Sara Lingner, Ramona (Jovica Cokorilo) Cretu, Andrea Cretu and Bianca Cretu. Great great uncle to Marko Cokorilo. 

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