Mary Lee Van Kluyve

Thursday evening on October 9, 2025, our precious Nana was taken from our arms and placed in the arms of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mary Lee Van Kluyve was born on August 23, 1940 to Ruben and Violet Hawkins in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

She graduated from Amarillo High school in 1958. She was an honored member of the Bel Canto Choir. She met and married the love of her life Richard Van Kluyve Sr. on November 7, 1958. While they were married Richard attended Harris Hospital in Fort Worth Texas where he earned his Certified Registered Nurse of Anesthesia. After he graduated, they moved their family to Pampa Texas in 1965 where they raised their children until they moved to Plainview Texas in 1982. They purchased and ran the Roaring 50s Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop for 31 years together. MaryLee also worked in many medical offices as their office manager and was well known and loved by everyone she worked with. MaryLee is remembered for her deep love for her family. Nana always had a candy dish filled with a variety of candy so her babies could have some every time they came to visit. She would make sure each one got some, even if their moms said no! Her babies could do no wrong in Nanas eyes! She also loved her Lord Jesus. Every person who came into their restaurant, her home or even if she stopped to talk to at Walmart would be asked if they were a Christian. She won many souls to the Lord through her faithfulness in her 85 years of life. We know she was greeted with the words, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

MaryLee was met at Heavens gates by her beloved Husband Richard, daughter Janine, son Nicholas, her parents, Ruben and Violet Hawkins, brother Caral, sisters Norma Dee and Genevieve, mother and father in law Bill and Ada Van Kluyve, her nieces Monica and Demirah, her great nephew Eric Lee Van Kluyve, and great grandson Ean Barnes.

Her legacy lives on through her son Richard R. Van Kluyve Jr. and wife Lori of Hephzibah Georgia, Grandchildren, Bailey Davis and fiancé Matt, and her children Beau, Kennedy and Jackson of Amarillo, Tx. And Brannon and Ena Morgan of Lake Charles, Lousiana, Britney Sherley, husband Collin and their children Aynsley, Barrett and Callum of Lubbock, Tx., Brennan Jones of Amarillo, Texas, Cory Barnes, wife Samantha of Jacksonville Florida and their children Elliot and Emma, Madelyn and Benjamin Van Kluyve of Hephzibah, Georgia, Courtney Posey, husband Justin and their children Carrie, Colton, Callie, Kash and Eric, Melinda Bernal, husband Isaac and their children Shane, Aspen, Jonathan and Jacob. Sister Janice Hickman and her husband Jerry of Knoxville, Tennessee, sister Margie Anderson of Thornton, Colorado brother in law Henry VanKluyve, wife Virginia of Nashville, Tennessee along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Our hearts are broken, but her heart is healed. Until we meet again, It is well with my soul.