Eileen Cleave

Eileen was born on April 16 ^th , 1957 in Fargo , ND to A. James and Audrey (Larson) Nelson. She grew up and attended school in Moorhead , graduating from high school in 1975.

On September 17, 1993, she married Leroy ( Roy ) Van Cleave at North Buffalo Church , Kragnes , MN . They made their home in Wahpeton, ND.

Eileen was working at Wal-Mart in Wahpeton before her illness. She had previously worked for Cellular One, Wahpeton Floral and Burger King in Wahpeton. She had worked for the Beef n Bun Restaurant, De Lendrecie’s, The Gaslite Lounge, Nelson Homes , and Greater Dakota Homes in Fargo . She met Roy when she sold him the home they would live in until her death. Eileen joked that if she knew that she would have been living in the home that she sold Roy , she might have sold him something different.

What would Eileen want to be remembered for? It was that she was the mother of Jessie. Her greatest thrill was the day that Jessie was born. She never lost that thrill. She continued to be thrilled everyday to just be Jessie’s mother. She was active in tennis, skating, swimming, basketball, and girl scouts with Jessie. She was Jessie’s “coach” and served on the board Southern Valley Figure Skating Club. She was the devoted mother when it came to Jessie’s dancing. She went to all her shows and competitions. Eileen was a very proud parent of everything that Jessie did.

Eileen was always worried that she wasn’t doing her share. She was always the 1 ^st to volunteer without any thought about herself. She was selfless. She was truly devoted to Roy and Jessie.

She is preceded in death by her father, James Nelson, her sister, Beverly Nelson. and her brother in law, Mark Jackson.

Eileen is survived by her husband, Leroy Van Cleave, Wahpeton; her daughter, Jessica, Wahpeton; her mother, Audrey Nelson, Moorhead, MN; her brother, Paul (Jackie) Nelson, Fargo; her two sisters: Sharon Jackson, and Sandy Nelson, both West Fargo; nieces, nephews and cousins.