Margaret Helene VanVleet

Dr. Margaret “Marge” VanVleet, 62, died Sunday, February 12, 2012 in Cordova, Tennessee. She was born in Denver, Colorado on August 19, 1949, daughter of the late William D. Ford and Corrinne H. Sletten Ford. On October 25, 1969 in Washington, DC she was united in marriage to Gerald (Jerry) VanVleet. She graduated from Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan as an Associate Degreed Nurse. She was employed at Mercy-Memorial Medical Center as Clinical Manager of Pediatrics. She later earned a Bachelor Degree from Nazareth College, A Masters Degree from University of Tennessee and finally a Doctorate Degree in nursing from UT. She became a certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in 1996. Dr. VanVleet was the recipient of the Tennessee Nursing Associations award of Excellence in Pediatrics in 1998. She also received the Greater Memphis Interagency Coalition for the Homeless Profile Achievement award, the Celebrate Nursing Top 100 Nurses award and the Lake Michigan College Distinguished Alumni award. She served 4 years on the American Nurses Credentialing Center Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Expert Panel. She also served as chairperson of the Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning in Memphis & Shelby County, chair of the LesPassees Childhood and Family Enrichment Center Advisory Board and a member of the Lead Prevention Standards Committee. She is survived by her husband, Gerald (Jerry) VanVleet, of Cordova, Tennessee; daughter, Stephanie , of Benton Harbor, Michigan; son, Derik, of Atlanta, Georgia; granddaughters, Jacobey and Michaela, and great grandson Devin. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors, 39 W. Burdick St., Oxford, Michigan 48371 with the interment to follow. Any memorial donations may be made to : St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.memphisfuneralhome.net. Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens 5599 Poplar Avenue. (901) 725-0100