Councilman Joe Creek has wed more than 25,000 people in the area and is a part of so many people’s love story.
He has stories about the many weddings he’s presided over, that range from funny to incredibly bittersweet.
Randy Hembree and Velma Hall’s love story was one of the latter.
Velma Hall was battling terminal Stage IV Lung Cancer and COPD and lay in a Tennova ICU room fighting for her life. She woke long enough to nod her head and agree to Randy’s proposal.
The next day, on March 5 at 5 p.m., with the quick efforts of hospital staff and family, they held a wedding in her hospital room.
Commissioner Joe Creek officiated the wedding.
It gave Velma Hall-Hembree, 72, a will to live which she did for three more days after her nuptials.
“What Mr. Creek did meant everything to us,” Chasity Lee, Hall’s granddaughter said.” At this point, we didn’t know how long my grandmother had left or her amount of fight so we basically got the process started immediately that morning. … As soon as we contacted Mr. Creek he was immediately on board and went out of his way to perform their ceremony. He even came a day before to do a “rehearsal” and made it exactly like the ceremony. He was so patient, kind, and loving, it made her the happiest she has ever been. I couldn’t thank him enough for all he did for my family.”
Her grandmother’s final act of love was something the family will never forget.
“It was one of the hardest times in my life but it gave a sense of relief knowing she passed with all her wishes coming true and he was such a huge part in that,” Lee said. “I actually ran into Mr. Creek again in July during a best friend’s wedding he was performing, and he actually pulled me to the side because he remembered me and my family and asked about my grandmother’s husband as he heard about her death, my heart was so touched that he remembered us. I can not thank him enough for all the joy he has spread to not just my family, but thousands.”
Were you a couple wed by Joe Creek?
If so, we want to see your wedding photos.
Tell us your names, wedding date and place where you were wed in our gallery below!
If you submitted a photo last year and want to learn more about Creek see the article: Loving Love: Commissioner Joe Creek has performed almost 25,000 weddings