Cleta Maxine Van Horn

Cleta Maxine (Wolf) Van Horn went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, May 27th, 2026. Cleta was born in 1938 in Uniontown, Kansas. She was the daughter of Herbert C. Wolf and Iva Marie (Ramsey) Wolf. Cleta was a farmer's girl with two older brothers. Her folks rented farms in Kansas until 1948, when they moved the family to Yakima Valley in Washington state, where they were migrant workers. They worked there until they earned enough money to return to Kansas and purchase their own farm in Franklin County, northwest of Ottawa in 1950. It was at a 4-H Club meeting that she met her future husband, H.H. Jack Van Horn. They were married on August 17, 1958, and enjoyed 65 years of marriage before he passed away in March of 2024. Cleta earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in education from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and taught fourth grade in Ames, Iowa, for the first few years of their marriage. While living in Ames, she gave birth to Jill Suzanne and then to twins: Amy Diane and Eric Clark. Her husband, Jack, was a professor of Dairy Science in Ames before moving to Lexington, Kentucky, to work for the University of Kentucky. While in Kentucky, they added two more children to the family: Craig Stephen and Laura Ann. In 1970, they moved their family to Gainesville, FL, where Jack worked at the University of Florida until her retirement in 2004. After retirement, Jack and Cleta moved to their beach home in St. Augustine, FL, and soon joined the Christian family of Anastasia Baptist Church. Anastasia Baptist Church was their favorite place to be. There, they found friends for eternity. After Jack's death, Cleta spent her final years at Allegro Senior Living, where she enjoyed making more friends. Cleta loved people, and she loved to laugh. She would light up any room when she entered. She wanted to know everything about everyone she met. She loved learning and encouraging her children to experience as much as possible and learn as many skills and as much knowledge as they could. She loved to travel and was given the opportunity to travel with Jack and with the family through the National and International Dairy Science Association, with the Dairy Extension Program, and the People to People Student Ambassador Program. The trips every year to the ADSA meetings were a very special part of the Van Horn family life, as well as their yearly visits to the Kansas farm where she grew up. She loved collecting things and filled her rooms with wonders. Above all, she loved her family and retired at the beach in St. Augustine with the goal of luring her children and grandchildren there for years and years to come. It worked! Her children and grandchildren will remember their time with her forever. Cleta is survived by her five children, her ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. There will be a private family celebration of her life at a later date. While the family is grateful for expressions of sympathy, they kindly request that flowers not be sent. Those desiring may leave messages of sympathy and encouragement by going to her tribute page at:https://www.stjohnsfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/cleta-van-horn/#!/TributeWall. St. Johns Family Funeral Home of St. Augustine is assisting the family with arrangements.

Cleta Maxine Van Horn

March 26, 1938 - May 27, 2026