Obituary of Hope McClain

Hope Ann Real McClain was born August 30, 1947 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The third of five children born to Chester Eugene and Ada Marie Wright Real, she was gifted with a resilient, free spirit. Hope had a contagious laugh, a smile that lit up her face and an enormous love for family and friends – especially children. A 1965 graduate of Underwood High School then graduated Beauty School in 1966 leading her to a married life where she followed her husband across the US in the military way and gave birth to 6 children -- 3 who came at the same time! She later divorced, worked her way through college and graduated magna cum laude with an elementary education degree. The lives of thousands of children were touched during her years of teaching within the Council Bluffs Community School district. A creative, talented and passionate crafter, she filled boxes, closets – and rooms – with volumes of items that she masterfully and joyfully pieced together into clever gifts of creativity. Where ever she lived – her own home, with family or in the nursing home – she was busy collecting supplies and crafting “love”. Pinterest had nothing on Hope! If you had the privilege of spending any time at all with Hope, you quickly learned of the beauty and sheer joy she found in the generations of family she cherished dearly. With a bright smile, crinkled nose and sparkling eyes full of pride, she loved to share the stories of her grandparents, parents, siblings, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and the legion of her extended family. She was a bit challenged with technology, but she determinedly used Facebook to stay connected -- posting pictures, sayings, comments, “likes” and “hearts” everywhere. Loss was deeply woven into Hope’s world. One of her triplets, Matthew, died at birth and two children – Chris and Robyn were buried as young adults. Her Dad; Mom; sister Jessie; brother Kevin; and way too many other family and friends left her, yet, while she lived with these holes in her heart, she kept living forward; plus, her body challenged her with multiple health complications... and yet her spirit kept fighting. She was powerfully resilient. She was a fighter. She was our HOPE. Hope will be missed by her children Danny (Christina), William (Sundi), Scott McClain, grandchildren: Heather (Eduardo) Barbosa, Christopher (Jacqueline) McClain, Brittni (Joshua) Showalter, Daltynn McClain, Stephanie Cooper, Matthew Schultz, Ashlynn Cooper, Anthony Schultz, Travis Harville, Johnathan McClain, Cole Witte, Jodi (Keith) Stevens, Nathanial Belt, and great grandchildren: Christian, Caden, LillyAna, Zander, Gabriel, Boden, Ryder, Phoenix, Athena; uncle Rudy, Becky Real sister-in-law, and her sister Dawn Marie (Gary) Hough and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Funeral services for Hope Ann McClain, 71 of Clarinda, will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, October 28, 2018 at Walker-Merrick-Eickemeyer Funeral Chapel in Clarinda with visitation and refreshments following the service. Interment will be at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Neola, Iowa, 11 a.m. Monday, October 29. Memorials are suggested to the family. Walker-Merrick-Eickemeyer Funeral Chapel, Clarinda, is providing arrangements.