
Linda Charlene Hand (Cleaver) passed away suddenly on March 29, 2023, in
Corpus Christi, Texas, and went to be with her Lord at 81 years of age. She was
born on July 24, 1941, in Missouri Valley, IA.
She was raised by her
parents Clara and Dell "Jack" Cleaver of California Junction, IA. She
had a large family growing up with seven brothers and seven sisters. She
was preceded in death by her parents and some of her siblings; Robert
Cleaver 1947, Larraine Cleaver 1949, Dell Cleaver Jr. 2006, Danny
Cleaver 1980, Mary Lou Hopkins 1991, Darla Myers 1994, Norma Jean Kirsch
2008, Dennis Cleaver 2008, Phyllis Westcott 2009, Joy Adkins 2011,
Leonard Cleaver 2015, Odetta Roach 2017.
She is survived by her
loving husband of almost 65 years, Francis Lee Hand Sr. Lovingly
remembered by her surviving siblings; Jackie Gale and Larry Cleaver of
Iowa; and her children Francis Lee Hand Jr, Tucson, AZ; William Paul
Hand II, Salina, Ks; John Franklin Hand II, Council Bluffs, IA; and
Julie Lynn Calderon, Las Cruces, NM.
She left a legacy of family and
will be missed by her 19 grandchildren through her children's marriages;
Lisa, Melissa, Charlie, Shaylene, Chanel, Maverick, Sheyenne, Savannah,
Christian, Kari Jo, Steven, Stephanie, Kira, Christopher, Dustin,
Charlie, Charlene, Daniel, Kimberly and 29 Great Grandchildren;
Nicholas, Shandi, Chelsea, Cassidy, Cody, Jaicee, Cutler, Kaylee,
Tristan, Branden, William, Skylar, Landon, Cooper, Kaydence, Jaxson,
Kayden, Snow, Remington, Galaxy, Alex, Brett, Conner, Caitlynn,
Scarlett, Amber, Sammy, Xander, Trinity and one Great Great Grandchild;
Asher.
Background:
She attended elementary school in California
Junction until 8th grade and then attended high school in Missouri
Valley, IA. She met her future husband in the Spring of 1958 while she
was sitting at a bus stop on 6th Street in Missouri Valley with two of
her friends. He pulled up in his car and asked the girls if they wanted a
ride home and they all jumped in the car. He made sure that she was in
the front seat with him, and the other girls were in the back seat. He
strategically dropped the other girls off and then drove her home.
They
started dating right away and three months later he proposed to her,
and she accepted. They were married in Missouri Valley on November 8,
1958. She was a homemaker, and her husband was in the Air Force Reserves
until their first child Francis Lee Hand Jr. was born in 1961. Shortly
after that her husband enlisted in the Army and she gladly stayed home
to take care of the child. In 1962 they moved to the next duty station
in Fulda, Germany, where their second child William Paul Hand II was born
in 1963.
In 1965, they moved back to the United States and her
husband was sent to complete tours of duty in both Viet Nam and Korea.
During that time, she and the children lived in Missouri Valley to be
close to family. Linda worked various jobs and took care of the
children, while her husband was assigned overseas.
Upon her husband's
return, they moved to Council Bluffs, IA and their third child John
Franklin Hand II was born in 1968. She worked at Campbell's soup factory
during this time. She finally got her wish for a daughter with the
birth of Julie Lynn Hand in 1970.
They moved to Frankfurt, Germany in
1970 for her husband's final overseas assignment. In 1973 they moved to
Ft. Riley, Ks and lived off base in Junction City until his retirement
from the Army in 1977. She worked as a Nurse's Aide at a local nursing
home, and she enjoyed visiting with the residents and would often pick
fresh strawberries from her home garden to share with them.
In 1979, they moved to Abilene, KS and she continued working as a Nurse's Aide at
a local nursing home, until they moved back to Iowa to be close to
family in 1982. She retired and they eventually moved to
Rockport/Fulton, TX in 1995. She was always excited when family visited
and loved spending time with her children and grandchildren playing card
games with them.
She really enjoyed traveling and taking cruises to
Alaska, Cancun, Hawaii, Mediterranean Sea and the Panama Canal with
their best friends, Gary and Linda Wrestler. The highlight of her day
was spending time with her dachshunds, pushing them around the yard in a
stroller and spoiling them.
She dreamed of winning the "lottery" and
loved getting scratch-off tickets to play. She once won $1000 from a
Lucky Slots ticket, and she shared her winnings with her children. When
the local VFW in Rockport had Bingo night, she enjoyed taking her
children and grandchildren to play along while they were visiting. When
she visited family out of state, she enjoyed going to the local casinos
and playing the penny slot machines. She believed in the saying "you
can't win if you don't play."
A Service of Remembrance will be held
at Charlie Marshall Chapel at 814 East Main Street, Rockport, TX 78382
on April 4, 2023, at 11:30 am. Family visitation will be at 10 am with
the public welcome at 11 am. Interment to follow at Aransas Memorial
Park, 1520 TX-188, Rockport, TX 78382.
Reception to follow at the Hand home; 2109 W. Myrtle, Rockport, TX.
Condolences for the family may be offered at www.mccallbros.com.