Obituary for James Irving Cleaver
James Irving ‘Jim’ Cleaver, age 80, passed away on February 16, 2019, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
He was born in April 16, 1938, in Flint, Michigan. James moved to Battle Creek as a child and graduated from Battle Creek Central High School in 1957. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army and served in Germany and Korea. He was a manager at Michigan Bell Telephone Company and retired in 1994, after 28 years of service.
Jim was a life member of the Battle Creek Elks Lodge #131 and a member of the American Legion Post #298. He loved classical music, reading, collecting coins, fishing and spending time with his family, especially trips to the casino with brother Bob.
He is survived by daughters, Suzanne (Paul) Pitre of Niles, Michigan, and Dianne Cleaver of Three Oaks, Michigan; 4 grandchildren; brother, Robert B. Cleaver; sisters, Deborah (Robert Wiebe) Melges and Mary Kay (Don) Smith, all of Battle Creek, Michigan.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, O. James Cleaver and Helen Hoyt Cleaver; sister, Margaret Ann Bennett; grandson, William; and brother-in-law, David L. Melges.
In accordance with James' wishes, cremation has taken place and a service will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan, on May 29, 2019, at 2:30.
He was born in April 16, 1938, in Flint, Michigan. James moved to Battle Creek as a child and graduated from Battle Creek Central High School in 1957. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army and served in Germany and Korea. He was a manager at Michigan Bell Telephone Company and retired in 1994, after 28 years of service.
Jim was a life member of the Battle Creek Elks Lodge #131 and a member of the American Legion Post #298. He loved classical music, reading, collecting coins, fishing and spending time with his family, especially trips to the casino with brother Bob.
He is survived by daughters, Suzanne (Paul) Pitre of Niles, Michigan, and Dianne Cleaver of Three Oaks, Michigan; 4 grandchildren; brother, Robert B. Cleaver; sisters, Deborah (Robert Wiebe) Melges and Mary Kay (Don) Smith, all of Battle Creek, Michigan.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, O. James Cleaver and Helen Hoyt Cleaver; sister, Margaret Ann Bennett; grandson, William; and brother-in-law, David L. Melges.
In accordance with James' wishes, cremation has taken place and a service will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan, on May 29, 2019, at 2:30.