Cleo Loretta Rawlinson

Cleo Loretta Blair was born on October 21, 1937, to Sylvia and Clark Blair in Toledo, Washington. She was the middle child and had two sisters, Lela and Beverly. Her family gave her the nickname "Skeeter." Cleo grew up on a farm in Toledo but moved around the state often because of her father's logging profession. Her favorite childhood memories included picking strawberries in the summer, helping her dad build rooms onto their house, and carnival rides during the Toledo Cheese Day festival. She played the trumpet, baseball, volleyball and took the title of badminton champion. It was no surprise to her friends and family that she wanted to be a PE teacher, but life took her to other places. Her first job was as a long-distance operator for Pacific Telephone and Telegraph. Cleo also worked as a pin setter at the local bowling alley, washed windows for the school, Sears saleswoman, and at the Boeing plant in Seattle. There was a connection through her mother to the Colville Tribal Nation in North Central Washington. Cleo met her soon to be husband, JM, at a USO club in Seattle when Cleo was 19 and JM was 24. Her first impression of him was that he was very personable and a great dancer. They married after a six-week courtship and moved into military housing on Ft. Lawson Army Base in Seattle. Her favorite courtship memories were the long walks and talks they took together. She followed JM to Enchon, France. While JM captained a tugboat for the Army, she sewed patches on military uniforms. Cleo had fond memories of the food, culture, Paris, playing cards with friends and the birth of her first son, Jaime. After JM was discharged, they moved to Dallas, TX to be near his family. Cleo developed a strong friendship with a woman that knocked on her door and that led both to being baptized in the church of Christ in Seagoville. They welcomed a second son, Jeffrey while living there. One of Cleo's biggest trials was the year she lost the use of her right arm in a car accident. Despite the loss, her and JM found ways to compensate, and she continued to square dance and travel. Cleo was well loved at the Adult Family Home she resided at for the past year, even though she was separated from JM. Cleo was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years who passed away 30 days before her. She said, "He was such a good husband and I love him so much!" Cleo is survived by her sons, Jaime of Texas and Jeffrey of Vancouver, WA. She is also survived by her sisters Beverly (Art) Wastradowski, and Lela Harper.

Cleo Loretta Rawlinson

October 21, 1937 - February 28, 2023