Linda Hand

Linda Charlene Hand (Cleaver) passed away suddenly on March 29, 2023, in Corpus Christi 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 64 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 1959 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, 1959. 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.