The Fraternity Mourns the Loss of its 34th National President
A. Joseph Creston
May 17, 1927 - August 11, 2022
A. Joseph Creston, Psi '49
34th National President (1976-1978)
Born: May 17, 1927 • Initiated: December 7, 1949 • Deceased: August 11, 2022
34th National President (1976-1978)
Born: May 17, 1927 • Initiated: December 7, 1949 • Deceased: August 11, 2022
Alpha Phi Delta mourns the loss of its 34th National President, A. Joseph Creston who passed from this life on August 11, 2022 at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife Josie, and his children Janice, Dan, and Linda, and many grandchildren.
Angelus Joseph Creston was born on May 17, 1927, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the borough of Swissvale. He graduated from Swissvale High School in 1945 and entered the Navy during the Second World War. His total years of service including active duty and the Naval Reserves was ten. In 1951 he graduated from Duquesne University with a degree in Business Administration. He was inducted into Alpha Phi Delta on December 7, 1949.
Brother Creston’s career included: Production Engineer at the Union Switch and Signal Company; owner and manager of a restaurant; Production Engineer for Westinghouse Nuclear and RCA; and Component Buyer and Planning Engineer for Westinghouse Nuclear, Electrical. He retired in 1990 and annually spends six months in Palm Harbor, Florida and six months in Pittsburgh.
Brother Creston’s Alpha Phi Delta activities included: President of the Pittsburgh Alumni Club; Fifth District Governor; co-founder and Godfather of Gamma Delta Chapter at Waynesburg College, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania; Housing Committee member; Alumni Fundraising Chairman for the Federici-Niehaus Memorial at Duquesne University; Constitution Restructuring Committee member; Scholarship Trustee; National Chaplain; and, most notably, National President, 1976-1978.
During his Presidency, Creston oversaw the establishment of a revised Constitution for the Fraternity in 1978, during a “Constitutional Convention” held during that year’s Annual Meeting of the National Council. He noted in later interview in The Kleos that, “I would like to be remembered as the President who led by example and prepared Alpha Phi Delta for a new era.”
An active brother since his induction in 1949, in more recent years, Creston had been in contact with the South Florida Alumni Club , as he was hoping to start a Tampa/Clearwater Alumni Club with the assistance of the leadership of the South Florida Alumni Club.
In 2000, Brother Creston generously made a $10,000 contribution to the Scholarship Fund of the Alpha Phi Delta Foundation establishing the annual scholarship given in his name. His main focus is to stimulate our alumni to better serve Alpha Phi Delta.
In 2005, Brother Creston was honored at the National Convention, by being presented the Fraternity’s highest honor: the rarely given Lifetime Achievement Award (Brother Creston was only the third recipient of this award in the history of the Fraternity).
Among Brother Creston’s many and varied Church and community activities are: Little League baseball coach for eleven years; President of the Edgewood Youth Association; Meals on Wheels; Religion teacher and Principal for eleven years; Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion; Church Choir member for 40 years; Church Council member; Westinghouse Male Chorus; Community Theater in Pittsburgh as well as in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Brother Creston, a brother since December 7, 1949, and our oldest living Past National President, passed away August 11, 2022. Brother Creston's family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations in Joseph Creston's memory be made to the Alpha Phi Delta Foundation by clicking here.
Angelus Joseph Creston was born on May 17, 1927, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the borough of Swissvale. He graduated from Swissvale High School in 1945 and entered the Navy during the Second World War. His total years of service including active duty and the Naval Reserves was ten. In 1951 he graduated from Duquesne University with a degree in Business Administration. He was inducted into Alpha Phi Delta on December 7, 1949.
Brother Creston’s career included: Production Engineer at the Union Switch and Signal Company; owner and manager of a restaurant; Production Engineer for Westinghouse Nuclear and RCA; and Component Buyer and Planning Engineer for Westinghouse Nuclear, Electrical. He retired in 1990 and annually spends six months in Palm Harbor, Florida and six months in Pittsburgh.
Brother Creston’s Alpha Phi Delta activities included: President of the Pittsburgh Alumni Club; Fifth District Governor; co-founder and Godfather of Gamma Delta Chapter at Waynesburg College, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania; Housing Committee member; Alumni Fundraising Chairman for the Federici-Niehaus Memorial at Duquesne University; Constitution Restructuring Committee member; Scholarship Trustee; National Chaplain; and, most notably, National President, 1976-1978.
During his Presidency, Creston oversaw the establishment of a revised Constitution for the Fraternity in 1978, during a “Constitutional Convention” held during that year’s Annual Meeting of the National Council. He noted in later interview in The Kleos that, “I would like to be remembered as the President who led by example and prepared Alpha Phi Delta for a new era.”
An active brother since his induction in 1949, in more recent years, Creston had been in contact with the South Florida Alumni Club , as he was hoping to start a Tampa/Clearwater Alumni Club with the assistance of the leadership of the South Florida Alumni Club.
In 2000, Brother Creston generously made a $10,000 contribution to the Scholarship Fund of the Alpha Phi Delta Foundation establishing the annual scholarship given in his name. His main focus is to stimulate our alumni to better serve Alpha Phi Delta.
In 2005, Brother Creston was honored at the National Convention, by being presented the Fraternity’s highest honor: the rarely given Lifetime Achievement Award (Brother Creston was only the third recipient of this award in the history of the Fraternity).
Among Brother Creston’s many and varied Church and community activities are: Little League baseball coach for eleven years; President of the Edgewood Youth Association; Meals on Wheels; Religion teacher and Principal for eleven years; Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion; Church Choir member for 40 years; Church Council member; Westinghouse Male Chorus; Community Theater in Pittsburgh as well as in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Brother Creston, a brother since December 7, 1949, and our oldest living Past National President, passed away August 11, 2022. Brother Creston's family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations in Joseph Creston's memory be made to the Alpha Phi Delta Foundation by clicking here.