Sara Grace Stuckey McCleave  12/17/1917  -  5/29/2016

Sara Grace Stuckey McCleave, 98, passed away peacefully on May 29, 2016 at her home, where she has lived for the past sixty five years.

Grace, a native of Nesmith, SC, was born December 17, 1917, daughter of the late Cleon and Annie Blakely Stuckey, and was the widow of William Robinson (Bill) McCleave. She received her B.A. degree from Winthrop College in 1938 and later earned a masters degree. At Winthrop she was active in the Pi Kappa Delta debating society. In 1938, her Winthrop debating team won honors at the National Debating Tournament in Topeka, Kansas.

During World War II, Grace worked for the intelligence division of the U.S. State Department and also worked for the U.S. Public Health Service, both in Washington, D.C. Grace was supervisor of the Social Studies Department at Winthrop Training School before returning to teach history at Rock Hill High, where she later was a guidance counselor. Her career as a history teacher and guidance counselor at Rock Hill High spanned over more than forty years.

Grace was a member of Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church and helped organize the church archives. She was a member of the Tuesday Afternoon Club.

In addition to her parents and husband, Grace was preceded in death by sisters, Pearl Holtzcheiter, Imogene Hardee and Doris Walters; and brothers, Henry Stuckey and Tom Stuckey. Surviving her are two sons: William Robinson (Bill) McCleave, Jr. of Lake Norman, NC and Robert Weston (Bob) McCleave of Rock Hill; one sister, Mary Sheley of Manning, SC; sister-in-law, Faye Stuckey of Nesmith, SC; and a number of nieces and nephews.

The family will hold a visitation at Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel, 2133 Ebenezer Rd, on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 from 7-8:30pm. A graveside service will be held at Forest Hills Cemetery on Wednesday, June 1, 2016 at 11am.

Memorials may be made in Mrs. McCleave's name to Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, 421 Oakland Ave, Rock Hill, SC 29730.

Condolences may be made at www.greenefuneralhome.net.