Cheryl Lee (George) VanWey, 80, passed away on Saturday, June 7, 2025.
She was born on Oct. 11, 1944, in Bloomfield, Nebraska, to Ross and Dorthea George.
Cheryl attended schools in Augusta and El Dorado, graduating from El Dorado High School in 1962. She married Clyde VanWey on Sept. 25, 1966, in Rosalia Methodist Church while he was in the Air Force stationed in Pakistan. When he returned from the service in December 1967, they lived in El Dorado, Wichita, Fort Scott, Parsons and Carl Junction, Missouri. She worked at J.C. Penney for 21 years in Fort Scott and Parsons. She babysat her grandchildren often, playing board games and making her famous banana bread. Cheryl and Clyde spent many years traveling the country, having visited 47 states along the way. Cheryl kept busy attending many sports activities for her sons and grandchildren.
Survivors include her husband of 58 years, Clyde VanWey; sons, Craig VanWey and wife Jill of Pittsburg and Chris Van-Wey and wife Brittany of Webb City, Missouri; grandchildren, Megan VanWey Brown and husband Josh Brown of Kansas City, Kansas, Logan VanWey of Houston, Texas, Kaylee Van-Wey McMullen and husband Drake of El Reno, Oklahoma, and Alyssa VanWey and fiancé Jordan Clark of Manhattan; sisters, Kathy George Moore and husband Alan of Rosalia, Janet George Oswald of Leon and Vicki George Penwell and husband Jim Penwell of Leon.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Helen George Moore, and her husband, John Moore; and her parents, Ross and Dorthea George.
The family will receive friends at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, at Simpson Funeral Home of Webb City, Missouri. The service will follow at 2 p.m.
Services are under the personal care and direction of Simpson Funeral Home.
The family would like to send a heartfelt “thank you” to Compassus Hospice and to Charlotte’s Angels Home Care for the exceptional care they provided to Cheryl. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations in Cheryl’s name be sent to St. Jude Children’s Hospital: 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105. Cheryl had a history of supporting St. Jude’s and we know this would make her happy.
