CORBIN — Cleda Vesta (Vanderpool) Brockus, aged 80, formerly of Wiiliamsburg, Ky. and later, of Moulton, Iowa passed away February 27, 2010 in Rock Hill, S.C. while surrounded by her family. She had been on an extended visit to the home of her daughter, Rachel Miller.

Cleda was born the daughter of Benjamin and Rachel (Siler) Vanderpool August 1, 1929 on Brown’s Creek in Whitley County, Ky., near Williamsburg. Her father was a coal miner and farmer. She graduated from Rockholds High School, Cumberland College, and Eastern Kentucky State College, all in Kentucky. She later obtained a master’s degree from Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville, Mo. Cleda taught for seven years in rural Kentucky’s one- and two-room schools including Goldbug and Gap o’Ridge.

On Sept. 8, 1953, Cleda married the love of her life, Gerald Bryce Brockus at the home of Rev. Ben Siler near Williamsburg, Kentucky. After a brief honeymoon in the Cumberland Falls and Cumberland Gap areas, the newly married couple returned to Gerald’s family home near Moulton, Iowa. They engaged in farming row crops, milking dairy cows, and raising beef cows, laying hens, hogs, and a huge garden, as well as rearing five children.

Cleda later returned to teaching, serving the Moulton-Udell Community Schools, where she dedicated her efforts to special needs children for 40 years. After Gerald was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1974, Cleda and children continued operation of their dairy farm until son Frank assumed sole responsibility.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her three sisters, Polly Bryant, Estell Fry and Cerena Monhollen; and four brothers, Lee, Cleo, Daniel, and Benjamin Vanderpool.

She is survived by one brother, Cecil Vanderpool of Lorrain, Ohio; three daughters, Elizabeth Smith and her husband Steve of Plano, Texas, Rachel Miller and her husband Gary of Lake Wylie, S.C., and Deborah Zugg and her husband Stan of Mystic, Iowa; two sons, Gerald Brockus and Frank Brockus of Moulton, Iowa; six grandsons, Justin White and his wife Donna of Frisco, Texas, Scott, Caleb and Aaron Smith of Plano, Texas; Kurtis Miller and his wife Aynnie of Charlotte, N.C., and Kenneth Miller of Charleston, S.C.; five granddaughters. Kelli White of Dallas, Texas. Virginia (Zugg) Deutmeyer and her husband Matt of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Stephanie (Zugg) Gale and her husband Mike of New Hope, Minn.. and Michelle and Jessica Zugg of Coralville, Iowa. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews living in many different states.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 6, 2010 at the Moulton Christian Church, Moulton, Iowa with Reverends Reg Higginbottom and Kay Singley officiating. Burial followed at the Sunset View Cemetery, Moulton, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Moulton-Udell School Foundation, 305 E. 8th St, Moulton, Iowa 52572. The Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Moulton, Iowa is caring for Cleda and her family and online condolences can be sent at schmidtfamilyfuneralhome.com.