James Patrick “Pat” McCreary, 71, died in Bloomington December 21, 2025 of heart disease. He was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, the son of Harold McCreary and Norma Carson, who predeceased him.
Pat spent his entire career in law enforcement. He worked for the Indiana State Police from December 1979 to March 2000, rising to the level of lieutenant. He served as commander of the Public Information Office; was assigned to the superintendent’s office to lead interagency special projects; and worked on several specialty teams, including scuba, emergency response, the Law Enforcement Academy, the training division, and tours of duty in Washington D.C. with the U.S. departments of Transportation and Justice. He retired in 2000 and went to work for the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, where he worked as associate director until January 2018. Pat led the team that developed the capability to connect law enforcement databases with broad information-sharing uses, including improving Amber Alerts and the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website. The team was named a finalist for the 2008 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals for its work. Pat earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminology from Indiana State University. He loved reading, golf, movies and Louie, his Standard Poodle. He was a competitive swimmer at Crawfordsville High School, from where he graduated, and was delighted, upon retirement to Bloomington, to buy Doc Counsilman’s house.
He was working as a lifeguard at Lake Monroe Beach when he met Lynn, the love of his life. They were married in 1977, and she survives. Also surviving are his daughters, Lorie and Callie; four grandchildren; and a sister and brother-in-law, Becky and Sam Kirtley.
Visitation is Saturday, May 9th, from 9 – 11 a.m., at Weigel Funeral Home in Batesville. A Memorial Service will follow at 11 a.m., at the funeral home with Indiana State Police Chaplain, Dennis Aud officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Heart Association. For online condolences, please go to www.weigelfh.com.