Melvin L. Van Cleave

Melvin L. Van Cleave, 83, of Newton, died Thursday, July 30, 2015, at the Skiff Medical Center in Newton. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 6 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home in Newton. The family will greet friends from 10 to 11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 6 at the funeral home.

Memorials in Melvin’s name may be left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home. Memorials may also be mailed to the funeral home; please add, Attn: Van Cleave Family on the envelope.

Those left to honor Melvin’s memory are his wife of 64-plus years, Karen of Newton; children, Pam Van Cleave of McDonough, Ga., Doug (Ellona) Van Cleave of Sorrento, Fla., Tim (Julie) Van Cleave of Kellogg and Melissa (Rich) Johnson of Johnston; his eight grandchildren, Michael (Kelly) Lackey of Woodstock, Ga., Michele (Wesley) Johnston of McDonough, Ga., Melvin (Alba) Van Cleave of Woodland Hills, Calif., Betty (Jeremy) Shoemaker of Apopka, Fla., Zach Van Cleave of Denver, Colo., Victor Van Cleave of Des Moines, Bryan Johnson of Johnston and Mark Johnson of Johnston; six great-grandchildren, Jacob, Preston, Douglas, Melvin, Ellona and Jaxson; and his siblings, Tom (Florence) Van Cleave, Janet (Bill) Plumb, Carmletta (Ken) Tool and Vicki (Virgil) Kling.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and three sisters, Carolyn Fifer, Barbara Van Cleave and Dixie Racine.