Iva Yeakley McCormack

Iva Roberta Yeakley McCormack, 84 of Stephens City Virginia went home to her Lord on Friday, May 20, 2016, ending years of great effort to live with debilitating health issues. Although these concerns change her life, she never lost her enthusiasm for life, for her love of family and her faith in her Christian values. She remained bright, caring, helpful, as active as possible and aware of her surroundings and blessings until her final breath. Iva was born in Frederick County Virginia on July 19 1931, the only surviving daughter of triplets born that day to Harvey Robinson and Joanna Higby Yeakley. Her sisters were named Ida and Irene. In her life time she lived in over 40 different homes in and around the Frederick and Clarke Counties and city of Winchester. She was the daughter of a hard working farming family born in the Depression Area that taught faith in God and an undefeated determination to always remain grateful for the blessings of good and hard times. Her brother James Franklin Yeakley and foster brother Charles Silivous preceded her in death by many years. They blessed her with many nieces and nephews and were a close and loving family. She graduated from Clarke County High School in 1951 and continued on to receive a degree in business from the Winchester Business College in 1952. She was employed by B&M Chevrolet as a tile clerk upon graduation. To the day of her passing she remained close friends with many people from her childhood and youth. Iva was married to Joseph Costello McCormack Jr. on April 28, 1956 at Carpers Valley Church. They were married for 20 years until he preceded her in death October 10, 1976 from a work accident. He was the love of her life and the unexpected loss was devastating. From this union they shared two daughters Roberta Ann McCormack and Pamela Kay McCormack Graves Kelchner, whom she devoted her life to, loving and supporting them in all things. No person or earthy thing ever came before her children. She was a compassionate companion to William Edward Denson for 20 years following Joe’s death. They were a supportive couple to each other until his passing in 2000. Roberta's son, Collin Thomas Carte McCormack and Pamela's daughter April Kay Graves Fulk were grandchildren she loved beyond measure and continued to care for and nurture as her own. She was an adoring Grandmother, spoiling and correcting, building memories that will be shared in stories for generations to come. April gave Iva the gift of seeing a fourth generation born in her great- grandchildren, Jarrett, Christopher and Michael Fulk and sharing DJ the son of April's husband Dan Fulk. Pamela is married to Richard Kelchner, a much loved son to her completing the core of the family she adored. She was employed in her field of study as a secretary by Hables Real Estate for 25 years. She enjoyed and excelled in her career, not only the typing, telephone, work orders and gathering of rental payments but the relationships with the clients and her co-workers in the business and the downtown merchants of Loudoun Street who remember her to this day as a caring and witty friend. Iva's love for verbal communication will probably be what she will be most remembered for. Her love to talk to her friends and family was taken from her when she suffered the stroke but her joy in being with those who would visit her never faded just as her love for and faith in God remained strong over the years. She was a member of the Macedonia United Methodist Church in her later years where she enjoyed being in His service visiting those that were shut in, attending the Women’s Circle, Sunday school and making apple butter. In her youth she was a member of the Boyce United Methodist Church and Macedonia United Methodist Church and raised her daughters in the Boyce Baptist Church where she served tirelessly in youth activities with her girls and the close knit neighborhood of Boyce gave her lasting friends .She attended Calvary Church of the Brethren when physically possible with her daughter Roberta in her final years. In her retirement she enjoyed taking day trips with many social groups in the area, visiting different churches, crocheting, chronicling the family history for multiple generations and taking pictures of all these events and making scrapbooks of all the happenings. Her final days were made cheerful, content and comfortable by Blue Ridge Hospice with singing and music and unprecedented care and close friends that had not forgotten her over these difficult times. She will be missed here on earth as she takes her seat in Heaven and the Angels will sing to welcome her to her Mansion over the Hilltop. She will continue to watch over all those she loves with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ beside her. He will heal the earthly illnesses and her voice, lost for so long, will rise again in songs of praise. A celebration of her life, a time for sharing and remembering will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday in the Phelps Funeral Chapel 311 Hope Drive Winchester officiated by Reverend Mike Mayton and Charlie Estep. Burial will be private at Mt. Hebron Cemetery, where she will rest next to her husband Joe and surrounded by her Parents, Grandparents and Sisters. Friends will be received Wednesday from 7-9:00 p.m. in the funeral home.

Iva Yeakley McCormack

July 19, 1931 - May 20, 2016