Claudie (Cates) Corley

Claudie (Cates) Corley, passed from this life in Overland Park, Kansas after a long illness. She was born at home July 20, 1928 in rural Dardanelle, Arkansas to Henry Edward Cates and Nora Rebecca (Gideon) Cates.

She attended school at Dardanelle, Arkansas until the Depression forced her to drop out in 8th grade to help work for the family farm. In 1946, she married Robert (B0b) Eston Corley of Havana, Arkansas, who was a close friend of her brother Clinton. They had one daughter, Dr. Diana Corley Schnapp of Overland Park, Kansas.

Beginning in 1952, Claudie and Diana traveled with Bob, who was a welder on the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroads. They lived in four states and moved 30 times during that time. In 1958 they settled in Silvis, Illinois, where Bob eventually left the Rock Island Lines and began work for John Deer for the next 25 years. During that time, Claudie earned her GED Certificate from Black Hawk College in Moline, worked for a root beer stand in the summer, later worked for a professional laundry, and finished her working years as a nurse’s aide in Moline Public Hospital. She retired from that job in the early 1970’s.

Claudie will be remembered as a faithful member of Churches of Christ, which she attended throughout her life. She was a caregiver for Bob who had cardiac issues for much of his life. After Bob’s passing, she later married Gene Francis of Milan, Illinois, whom she served as caregiver when he had several years of illness. After Gene passed, she moved to Overland Park, Kansas to live with her daughter Diana and son-in-law Frank Schnapp. She enjoyed ready, movies, traveling, horses and being with family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, two husbands and numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews.

She leaves behind for now her daughter, her son-in-law, many “family” members in Illinois and Kansas, fellow Christians, and fellow residents and staff at Silverado Memory Care in Overland Park, Kansas. She is finally home. “Not gone, just gone on ahead.”

Visitation will be 1pm, Thursday, July 24, 2025, followed by a memorial service at 2pm, at Johnson County Funeral Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, Kansas 66210. Burial will be held at a later date in Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to charity or church of your choice.