Van Lee Cheeseman's Obituary
On Wednesday May 18, 2022, Van Lee Cheeseman, gardener, artist, and music lover, passed away at the age of 64.
Van was born on October 17, 1957, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was adopted by Rae James Cheeseman and Rebecca Riddle Cheeseman of Union City, TN. After the family moved to Memphis, Van attended Presbyterian Day School and Ridgeway High School but graduated from The Webb School in Bell Buckle, TN. He studied art at Murray State University in Murray, KY. In Murray, he honed his landscaping and gardening skills by working for local nurseries. He continued to work for landscaping companies and private gardens when he moved to Wrightsville Beach, NC and then to Raleigh, NC. There he enjoyed the live music scene at The Brewery and numerous cups of coffee with his friends at Cup A Joe. His greatest love was his involvement with Southern Championship Wrestling as the Commissioner. Although rarely in the ring, Van, with cane in hand, strutted around the ring and delighted audiences with his bravado and gifts of candy.
Van returned to his hometown of Memphis to marry Marilyn Rhea and for several years worked at Service Master Landscaping. He was passionate about the mistreatment of pit bulls, and he rescued or fostered many before moving to Holly Springs, MS in 2005 to fulfill his dream of having a flower farm. Soon rows of vegetables were planted alongside the flowers, and chickens wandered around the land. He sold his bounty at the then new downtown Memphis Farmers Market for several years, as well as at the Memphis Botanic Gardens. He eventually moved to the Cooper-Young Farmers Market in mid-town and expanded into canning and ferments. He was known for his creative recipes, sauerkraut, and kimchi.
He moved back to Memphis in 2017 and turned his attention and skills to helping others. He volunteered his culinary talents for Caritas Village, the Binghampton-based community center and café. Unfortunately the pandemic caused the café to close in 2020. The pandemic also thwarted his brief time as a downtown carriage driver. Van was a fixture of the local
mid-town music scene, often promoting bands and concerts on his Facebook page. He turned his artistic attention to painting beautiful patterns on gourds and other found objects, selling them in local shops. Recently he supported the Monic Children Centre in Jinja, Uganda. Please read their beautiful tribute to Van on their Facebook pages posted on June 7th and 8th. He could also be seen at Redeemer Presbyterian Church worshipping the Lord he loved so dearly.
Van had a compassionate heart for others. He was able to connect to people with ease, offering advice and wisdom where needed but just as willing to sit back and listen. His smile and presence will be missed by many.
Van was preceded in death by his parents Rae James and Rebecca Riddle Cheeseman. He leaves a brother Tim Rae Cheeseman (Laura) of Port Charlotte, FL, two nephews Jason Rae Cheeseman (Danielle) of Horn Lake, MS and Mathew Cheeseman (Maude) of North Port, FL, and niece Christy Cheeseman Burch of Port Charlotte, FL.
A memorial service will take place at a later date.
To honor Van, donations may be sent to Hearts of Gold Pitbull Rescue, https:/heartsofgoldpitrescue.com or to the charity of your choice. Monic Children's Centre cannot take donations at this time due to a problem with their website.
“Ring the bells that can still ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen “Anthem”
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