Margaret Van Cleave

Biography

MARGARET VAN CLEAVE, 90, of Tuscola, IL, passed away at 2:03 A.M. on Saturday, December 19, 2015 surrounded by family at her residence.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main St., Arcola, IL. Rev. Bob Williams will officiate. Burial will be in the Arcola Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at the Edwards Funeral Home.

Margaret was born May 24, 1925 in Arcola, IL. She was a daughter of Perry W. and Florence (Garber) Ghere. She married Robert Van Cleave on April 6, 1947 in Arcola, IL.

She is survived by her husband, Bob, five children, Sandra Fiscus and her husband Ed of St. Joseph, IL, Dale Van Cleave and his wife Candy of Springfield, OH, Dr. Nancy Van Cleave of Charleston, IL, Dean Van Cleave of Tuscola, IL and Dwayne Van Cleave and his wife Laura of Tuscola, IL, six grandchildren, Teresa Evans and her husband Steve, Leigh Ann, Robin and Benjamin Van Cleave, Jessica Stewart and her husband Kyle and Michelle Van Cleave, three great-grandchildren, Jacob and Joshua Evans, and Kaleb Miller, two sisters, Joyce Hancock of Arcola, IL and Evelyn Swisher of Martinsville, IL and one sister-in-law, Christine Jones of Kingman, IN.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one great-grandson, Zachery Evans, three brothers Harold, Bob and Carl Ghere and one sister Sadie Goulden.

Robert and Margaret were members of the Mt. Gilead United Methodist Church in rural Tuscola until it closed. They then attended the First Christian Church of Tuscola. Margaret was a member of the United Methodist Women’s Club.

Her life’s work was devoted to being a homemaker and as her husband said a good one at that.

Margaret mastered crossword puzzles, loved playing cards, enjoyed reading, sewing, cooking, growing flowers and feeding and watching hummingbirds. With her beautiful voice she sang along with her recorded music. She used her God given talent in expressing herself through writing poetry. Above all, Margaret loved spending time with her family who appreciated her unwavering, unending unique sense of humor.

Memorials may be made to the SAM Food Pantry, Tuscola or the Tuscola Kiwanis Club.