Kirkwood, Clare C.

Clare C. Kirkwood, 94, of Ryan, died at the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester on Friday, Aug. 24, 2012, following a short illness.

She was born to Henry and Thais (Van Meter) Adams on Oct. 7, 1917. Clare was the first girl born at the John McDonald Hospital in Monticello, and was raised in the Monticello area. Clare attended Lovell Country School and then Monticello High School. She furthered her education at Lenox College in 1934-1935 and St. Luke's in 1935-1938 for her nursing degree. She worked in “private duty” in 1938-1939.

Clare married Howard “Howdy” Kirkwood on April 5, 1939 and they lived on their farm near Delhi until they moved in 1943 to their present farm near Ryan. Together they raised two children: a daughter, Sharon, and son, Barton.

Clare was a member of several church boards and started the Golden Country Club Women's Group in 1944. Clare was a ‘caretaker' of those she loved and kept busy with her quilting, crocheting, gardening and baking. There was never a time when she visited her family that she didn't bring some kind of ‘goody' to eat.

Clare is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Don Lange, Ryan; four grandchildren: Lance (Kathy) Lange, Rowley; Marcia (Brian) Voelker, Ryan; Gwen Pledge, and Brenda Tjaden, Cedar Rapids; great-grandchildren, Deven, Jenna, Justin, Rachel, Amber, Jasmine, Joseph, Lindsay, Devin, Olivia, Laureen and Naudia; many great-great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Gayla Ruiz, Cedar Rapids; her sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Carl Wolken, Monticello; a stepsister, Betty Mae Airy, Marion; and two sisters-in-law, Marilyn Kirkwood, Hopkinton, and Anna Adams, Anamosa; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard (2009); a son, Barton (1975); her parents; two brothers, Fay Adams and Dale Adams; one sister, Kathleen Reed; three brothers-in-law, Harrison Reed, Vernon and Maurice Kirkwood; a sister-in-law, Ruth Adams; her stepmother, Blanche Adams; and her stepbrother, James Corwin.

Online condolences may be sent to .

Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, at Peace Lutheran Church in Ryan, with the Rev. Timothy Miller officiating. Interment: Hopkinton City Cemetery, Hopkinton. Visitation: 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28, at Leonard-Muller Funeral Home in Manchester and one hour before services at the church on Wednesday.

Published Aug. 26, 2012 in The Gazette