Lela "Aileen" Gilmer McCleary's Obituary
Born March 10, 1920 in the middle of a cotton patch near Commerce, Texas and passed away January 24, 2017 in Wylie, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde McCleary; mother and father, Rena & Guy Gilmer; daughter, Peggy Marsden; brothers, Marlin and Leon Gilmer; and Sister, Melba Gilmer. Survived by son and wife, Ron and Sandy McCleary; grandchildren, Jennifer McCleary, Travis Gregory, Becky and Paul Thompson, Ted Marsden III, Paula Serra; great-grandchildren, Shaun McCleary, Hailey Costello, Keeley Thompson, Jayden Thompson, Jessica Marsden, Rebecca Marsden, and Nicholas Serra; great-great-grandchildren, Dallon, Izabella, and Zane McCleary, Ashton and Sadie Costello, and Sadie Marsden. On March 10, 1920 in the middle of a cotton patch near Commerce, TX Lela Aileen Gilmer was born to a sharecropper. Marina “Rina” Elizabeth and Richard Guy Gilmer already had two boys and one more little girl would be born after Aileen and would pass away at age eight. When Aileen was five, they moved to a log house where many memories really started for Aileen. Every Sunday the family went to church with the kids riding in the back of the wagon with their legs swinging and voices coming together. Throughout the years they would become known for their harmonizing voices. Aileen remembers the peddler coming by with sugar and flavorings and another man riding a motorcycle and selling them chewing gum and the little-waxed bottles of cola. As most of you experienced, they would go cut their own Christmas tree on their land and string popcorn. They would hang their dad’s socks and wake up Christmas morning with a nickel in the toe along with fruit, candy and something their mom made. At age seven, Aileen remembers her father accepting a job on the Etter Ranch outside Salt Creek. On the journey to west Texas, they traveled with a milk cow and two horses pulling the wagon. They only had biscuits and potatoes to eat on this three-week journey. The family moved a short distance from the ranch to a 3-bedroom house. At age 11 they moved to town in Paducah. Her freshman year she became the first high school queen who was not a senior. She modeled and was involved in contests. She and two other girls had a group called the Bluebonnet Trio. They wore blue dresses and bonnets with most of the songs being about bluebonnets and Texas. At age 20, Aileen met Clyde McCleary and they married on June 15, 1941. Clyde had a 7-year-old daughter, Peggy Jo. The war broke out and Clyde was sent to Fort Knox. Aileen moved to Louisville and was the maid and cook for his colonel. When her husband was called to active duty, she moved back to Paducah. Later they moved to Alamosa where Aileen was known for her sewing and designing for many people. Garland was their next move where she worked for Woolworth in their floral department and then K-Mart as their flower buyer, designer and landscaper. Her last job would be with Rick Furniture for 13 years. The owner sent her to Eastfield College to study Interior Decorating! Aileen started the first college and Career group at Orchard Hills Baptist Church. She was the Youth Director and worked with the children at Freeman Heights Baptist Church. She was very talented and taught floral design and has made many oil paintings. She will be missed by many. Family will receive friends on Jan 26, 2017 from 6 – 8 PM at Restland Funeral Home. Service will be held on Jan 27, 2016 at 1:00 pm at Freeman Heights Baptist Church, 1120 Garland Ave., Garland, TX 75040. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243.
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