Reverend Cleta McQuerry, 69, daughter of Aulie and Clarabelle Bush Cooper, answered the call of the Mater on Monday, December, 6, 2004. Funeral services were held on Friday, December 10 at the Grace United Methodist Church in Des Moines, with interment in Glendale Cemetery.
Cleta obtained her degree in accounting and worked for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Iowa as a Medicare Auditor. She held many supervisory positions with Communications Data Services and Equitable of New York. After leaving the business community, Rev McQuerry went into the ministry where she served under several area Ministers and Elders while completing requirements for ordination into the AME church.
After pastoring in Des Moines, Rock Island IL and Clinton, she transferred to the United Methodist Church. She pastored churches in Rippey, Perry-Fairview, and Fox River parish. Rev. McQuerry was a published author of six books and was a talented artist and musician.
Rev. McQuerry leaves behind her children, Maeve Cooper, Robin, Randal and R. Joel McQuerry all of Des Moines; a brother Edward Cooper; a sister Marietta Kennedy; a sister in law, Marcella Cooper; nine grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephew, and other relatives and the members of her various congregations.
Memorials may be made to the Gatchel United Methodist Church or Des Moines Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.