Cleora Elizabeth Calkins

Cleora Elizabeth Calkins, 95, formerly of Orion, went to be with the Lord December 3, 2020, at Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Davenport, IA.

Private family services will be held.  Burial will be at Rock Island National Cemetery.  The service will be livestreamed and can be found Monday, December 7, 2020, at 1 pm on Cleora’s obituary page.  Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Orion or American Legion Auxiliary, Orion Unit 255.

Cleora was born on February 10, 1925, in Des Moines, IA, to David E. and Orah Wyzard Miller.

Cleora met Floy Calkins during her freshman year in high school. They were married December 24, 1945 at the First Baptist Church of Orion.

She graduated from Orion Community High School as the valedictorian in 1942. Cleora taught Morristown School near Osco, Illinois from the fall of 1943 through April 1946. In addition to being a homemaker and mother, Cleora helped Floy in his construction business, worked as a nurse’s aide at Oak Glen Home, had several stories and poems published and compiled the “Looking Back” column for the Orion Gazette for 20 years.

She enjoyed writing, reading, sewing, gardening and collecting Santa Clause figurines. Cleora was very interested in her growing family. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Orion, the Orion American Auxiliary, the Rock Island County 8 and 40 Salon 137 and the Western District Public Library McGuffey’s Readers.

Survivors include her daughters, Elora (David) Trumper, Melcher, Iowa, Valerie (Gailyn) Messersmith, Bark River, Michigan, Karen Cook, Dallas, Georgia; sons, Kevin (Carol) Calkins, Effingham, Illinois, Bruce (Laura) Calkins, of Davenport; 12 grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and numerous great, stepgreat, and great-great grandchildren. Other survivors include sisters-in-laws, Rebecca Williams, Morrison, Illinois and Betty Callahan, Loveland, Colorado and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Floy, her parents, brothers, Victor, David and Andrew, grandson, Jamie Calkins, son-in-law, Kenneth Cook, plus several great grandchildren.

Memories may be shared online by visiting the tribute wall.