Jeanne Marie Arleen McCleary (Forcier)

Jeanne Marie (Forcier) McCleary, a 96-year-old resident of Belgrade passed away July 24, at the Belgrade Nursing Home. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 AM on Thursday, August 1, at Church of St. Mary in Willmar. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM on Wednesday evening at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. A visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the church cemetery.  Arrangements are entrusted to Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.  www.petersonbrothers.com 

Jeanne Marie Arleen McCleary was born May 15, 1928, to John and Delia (Vork) Forcier of Willmar. She attended District 63 Country School and graduated from Willmar High School in 1946. Jeanne entered Nurses Training at College of St. Catherine, St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul. She worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse at Rice Memorial Hospital, Belgrade Nursing Home, Christian Nursing Home and Bethesda Nursing Home, where she retired in 1995 due to health issues. Jeanne later went back to work as a cook’s helper at KMS School in Kerkhoven and retired from there in 2004.

On September 12, 1951, she married Howard McCleary at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Willmar. They lived in the Willmar, Belgrade, and Pennock areas. She taught Cadet Girl Scouts and was a member of St. Mary’s Alter and Rosary Society and was a volunteer at St. Mary’s. She enjoyed sewing, embroidery, reading, and cooking for her family.

Jeanne is survived by 6 children, Michael (Renee) McCleary of Sunburg, Roger (Pam) McCleary of Kerkhoven, Gerald (Michele) McCleary of Belgrade, Connie Basore of Belgrade, Pamela (Steve) Ruka of Kerkhoven, Randall McCleary of Belgrade;15 grandchildren; 3 step-grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, 6 step-great-grandchildren; and 2 great- great-grandchildren; besides other relatives and friends.

She was proceeded in death by 2 sons, James in 1968 and Ronald in 2007; her husband, Howard in 2007; a step-grandchild in 2023; a brother in infancy; 3 brothers; and 4 sisters.