Obituary of Jean Virginia (Cline) Van Wie

CANISTEO – Jean Virginia (Cline) Van Wie, 98, of 5381 State Route 36, passed away in Horseheads on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, three days before her 99th birthday. Jean was born June 6, 1921, in Hornell, to Floyd and Lida (Woodworth) Cline. On July 3, 1948, in Nunda, she married Gerald W. Van Wie who, after 65 years of marriage, predeceased her in September of 2013. Jean also was predeceased by her sisters, Beth (Cline) Jones, Ruth (Cline) Loohn, and Lois (Cline) Furlong, all of Hornell. Jean & Jerry owned and operated a dairy farm one mile south of Canisteo on State Route 36. Now the Moss-Van Wie Dairy Farm, it frequently hosts Steuben County Farm City Days. Jean was a graduate of Hornell High School, class of 1939. She was a veteran of the United States Naval Reserve, better known as the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during World War II, serving at the Bureau of Yards and Docks in Washington, D.C. After the war, she attended Alfred University for one year and years later (with five children in school) continued her college education at SUNY Geneseo, graduating in 1967. She taught 5th grade in Jasper for three years followed by 16 years at Canisteo Central School, retiring in 1985. Jean is survived by five children, Neil Van Wie of Phoenix, AZ, Wayne (Rebecca) Van Wie of Binghamton, Karl (Pamela) Van Wie of Colorado Springs, CO, Karen (Sheldon) Hallstrom of Horseheads, and Ruth (Robert) Anderson of Kanona; 20 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; 8 great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Due to the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no public calling hours. Funeral service and burial will be at the convenience of the family. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Canisteo. Memorial contributions in Jean’s name may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 37 Greenwood St. Canisteo, N.Y. 14823.