Carol R. Cleaver 1935 - 2019

CLEAVER, MIDDLETON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 2/18/2020 at 01:15:28

Sioux City Journal
31 October 2019

Sioux City

Carol R. Cleaver, 83, of Sioux City, passed away Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Sioux City, surrounded by family.

A celebration of her life will be 3 p.m. Friday at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3700 Indian Hills Drive, Sioux City, with Pastor Todd Schlitter officiating. Visitation with the family will follow immediately after at the church. A prayer service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at the Modale United Methodist Church, with Pastor Todd Schlitter officiating. Burial will follow in the Blair (Neb.) Cemetery, with Pastor Jason Gutzmer officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel.

Carol was born in Omaha, on Dec. 23, 1935. She was the second daughter of Clarence George "Fat" and Ruth Evelyn Lyon Middleton of Modale, Iowa. Carol graduated from Modale High School, where she played girls basketball, cheered and sang. She met the love of her life, Myron "Ron" David Cleaver from Missouri Valley, Iowa, on vacation in Minnesota and quickly announced to her sister that "he was the guy she was going to marry." And marry they did on Feb. 21, 1953. They made their home in Missouri Valley, Iowa. Carol worked for Bell Telephone Company in Omaha, until they started a family. Kevan David and Kimberly Rae "Kim" were born and lived in their first home in Missouri Valley. Carol and Ron moved to La Mirada, Calif., where Ron worked in his family’s real estate business and Carol stayed at home to raise their family. Daughter Gayle Lee "Pookie" was born in California. The family later moved to Vermillion, S.D., and Carol returned to work at the local telephone office. Upon retirement, they built a home behind Carol’s childhood home in Modale. Ron passed away Nov. 1, 2001, three months shy of their 49th wedding anniversary. A year later, Carol relocated to Sioux City.

If there was only one word to describe Carol, it was "family." She loved being a mother, daughter, sister and aunt. She loved even more her relationships with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Attending the grandkids' games and activities and playing Bingo were her favorite pastimes. In her earlier years, she enjoyed playing tennis and camping with the family throughout California. She and Ron were members of the Sioux Falls Corvette Club, and they enjoyed many road trips with the club. She had one of the largest, most bountiful gardens in Vermillion and Modale. She was well known for her deviled eggs, pies, monkey bread and meatballs.

Carol was a lifelong Methodist, being baptized, confirmed and married in the United Methodist Church of Modale. Later, she was a member of the Vermillion United Methodist Church and Wesley United Methodist Church. She was a member of Eastern Star and was initiated into the Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta at USD. For many years she served as the treasurer of the Alpha Xi Delta Corporation. She volunteered at Wesley’s Senior Adults Lunching Together (SALT) and also on their Missions Team.

Family who were blessed to have Carol in their lives include daughters, Kim Cleaver Kletschke (husband Kal) of Dakota Dunes, and Gayle “Pookie” Solomon (partner Scott Martinson) of Vermillion, S.D.; grandchildren, Nicki Solomon, Chris Solomon (Nichole), Korey Kletschke (Ali), Kamryn Kletschke (fiancé Ben Fegenbush), Ethan Cleaver and Gavan Cleaver; great-grandchildren, Nate Martinson, Taylor Solomon and Lucas Solomon; sister-in-law, Alicia Cleaver; and numerous nieces and nephews, including a special niece, Susan Jones.

Welcoming Carol into heaven include her parents; her husband; her beloved son, Kevan; her sister, Donna "Dobby" Schultz and her husband, Carl; her brother, Bob Middleton and his wife, Vona; brother-in-law, Carl Cleaver and his parents, Maurice and Bea Cleaver; and best friends, Bill and Dee Jones.

Special thanks to Carol’s medical team and the wonderful staff at St. Luke’s Hospital.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to Wesley United Methodist Church or Modale United Methodist Church.