Joseph Paul Cretzer

1911–1946 (age 35)

Criminal

Biography

Joseph Paul Cretzer, born in 1911 and passing in 1946, became known through his infamous involvement in criminal activity and his time in the federal penitentiary system. His story crossed paths with Alcatraz and the broader debates about justice and penitence in America.

His grave at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park invites reflection on a troubled life and the serious responsibilities that accompany liberty, offering a reminder to future generations of how choices shape a person's legacy.

Did you know Joseph Paul Cretzer?

Help us tell their story. Share a memory, upload a gravestone photo, or correct any details.

Also buried at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park

Phineas Gage
1823–1860 (age 37)
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
American railroad worker whose severe head injury became a landmark case in neuroscience and psychology.
David C. Broderick
1820–1859 (age 39)
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
David C. Broderick was an American politician from California who served in the U.S. Senate and was killed in a duel.
Charles Cadwell Moore
1868–1932 (age 64)
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Charles Cadwell Moore (1868-1932) was an Alpine-based entrepreneur and landowner.
Lincoln Steffens
1866–1936 (age 70)
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Lincoln Steffens was an American journalist and reformer who lived from 1866 to 1936.
Edmund Randolph
1819–1861 (age 42)
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Edmund Randolph (1819-1861) was a 19th-century individual who died at the outbreak of the Civil War.
Robert A. Thompson
1805–1876 (age 71)
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Robert A. Thompson (1805-1876) was a Culpeper resident buried at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park.