Patricia Jean Leaven

BURKE, CORKERY, HUGHES, LEAVEN, LEE, PARKER, ROSS, VON LEHMDEN, WHITE, ZITELMAN

Posted By: Cindy (email)
Date: 11/26/2016 at 23:26:32

Patricia Jean Leaven Corkery of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, formerly of Rowley, Iowa, died Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 of a sudden illness. Patricia was born on June 27, 1927 in Independence, Iowa.

The daughter of John Leaven and Mary Burke Leaven. She grew up on their farm outside of Independence until she moved to town in 1938 and graduated from St. John's High School in 1945. While attending Mercy School of Nursing in Dubuque, Iowa, Pat was crowned the 1948 Homecoming Queen and earned her Registered Nursing Degree that same year.

Pat married her college sweetheart, Leland Thomas Corkery on June 25, 1949 at St. John's Catholic Church in Independence. She and Lee moved to their farm in Rowley where they lived for 61 years and raised their five children. They moved to Cedar Rapids in 2010. Pat began her nursing career at the Mental Health Institute in Independence for two years, then worked for six months at the Peoples Hospital. Pat took a break from her nursing career to devote her life to her family and never missed one of their events. Later, she returned to nursing at Medical Associates where she worked for 25 years prior to her retirement,. She was a member of All Saints, Rowley where she served as a communion minister, taught CCD and was a member of the Rosary Society.

Pat is survived by her two Sons – Jeff Corkery (Judy) of Peosta; and Jim Corkery (Renee) of Cedar Rapids; Three Daughters – Chriss White (Earl) of Hiawatha; Cindy Lee (Doug) of Swisher; and Kelly Von Lehmden (Terry) of Cedar Rapids, 14 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren, and one sister – Joan Zitelman (Dan) of Manchester, who joined her in heaven the following day.
She was preceded in death by her love, Lee Corkery, and her parents; two brothers – Johnny and Frank Leaven; and two sisters – Berneice Ross Hughes and Katheryn Parker.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. John's Catholic Church in Independence, with Rev. Don Plamondon officiating.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday and from 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Reiff Funeral Home & Crematory, Independence, where a rosary will be recited at 3:30 p.m. Monday and a parish vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday.

Reiff Funeral Home