Joe Mack Cress

Joe Mack Cress, age 89, of J Cress Road, passed away Thursday, December 26, 2024.  He was born March 1, 1935 to the late Luther Nathaniel “Bud” Cress and Thelma Church Cress.  In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his first wife, Lois Marie Horne Cress; and his four brothers, Clarence, Bob and Jack and John.

Joe Mack was a member and Deacon of Calvary Baptist Church, where he also served as secretary of his Sunday school class. .  Church and prayer was very important to him. He was a graduate of Johnson County High School class of 1953. In his spare time, Joe  enjoyed doing yard work, raising chickens and singing with the Joy Makers group.  He  loved visiting Mountain City Care Center with his best friends, Buck Kirby and Dennis Lewis.   He was a US Army veteran having served in Korea.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Sarah Price Cress; son, Nathaniel Steven Cress; step-sons, Raymond Mahala, Eric Mahala and Clifford Mahala; step-daughter, Sonja Hurd; sister, Margaret Cress; brothers, Jim and wife Dorothy and Sam and wife Ann; nieces, Perriann Stanley, Katherine Lowman, Pam Johnson and Karen Sullivan; nephews, Tim Horne and Gary Horne; great niece, Sarah Grace Sulllivan; great nephews, Eli Horne and Wesley Horne, and special friends, Buck Kirby and Dennis Lewis.

A funeral service for Joe will be conducted at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 29, 2024 at Calvary Baptist Church with Steven Spencer officiating.  The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. prior to the funeral service.  A graveside service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 29, 2024 at the Brown Cemetery with Military Honors accorded by the Johnson County Honor Guard.

Pallbearers will be Timothy Horne, Buck Kirby, Dennis Lewis, Clifton Worley, Wyatt Worley, Ethan Proffitt and Blake Robinson.

Honorary pallbearers are Jerry Stanley, John Shull, Raymond Mahala, Eric Mahala and Cliff Mahala.

Online condolences and memories may be sent to the family at www.huxlipfordfh.com

Hux & Lipford Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Cress Family.