After a private family gathering, graveside rites will be held for Cleo M. Stoddard at Moore Hill Cemetery, north of Hulett, WY on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 11:00 a.m. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Cleo passed away on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at the Powder River Manor, in Broadus, MT after a lengthy illness.
Cleo was born August 25, 1921 at Terhune, in Rural Crook County, WY. She was the youngest child of Emery and Vada Pearl (Holcomb) Huffman. The family had come to Crook County in 1917, when they purchased the Seth Ford place on Deer Creek. This would be the family home from birth through her childhood years. Cleo's dad converted the living room of their home into a school room, where many of the area youngsters would begin their education. This remained the local school until the Deer Creek School was established some years later. As she grew beyond grade school years, Cleo and her sisters lived in Gering, Nebraska to further their education, and returned to the family home during summers. Upon the death of her mother, Cleo moved back to the family home, and never got to complete her high school education. On November 30, 1940 Cleo was married to John A. Johnson in Scottsbluff, Nebraska who was from Seely, Wyoming. Thus they lived in Wyoming and later moved to Nebraska for employment. Two sons were born to this union before Mr. Johnson died due to an accidental drowning in Nebraska in August of 1949. Due to his untimely death he would know his oldest son Michael less than a year, and never see his youngest son, Donald.
As a young widow, Cleo remained in the Scottsbluff area to raise and support her young sons. She would return to the family home in Wyoming to visit during the following years. As time passed, she returned there with her small sons to live. Eventually, she met Leonard Stoddard of Hulett. They married on June 18, 1953 in Kimball, Nebraska. A son and daughter were born to this union. They lived in Scottsbluff for a short time prior to returning to ranch near Seely, Wyoming. This ranch north of Hulett, became their home until June of 2000, when the family purchased a ranch near Broadus, MT and sold the ranch near Hulett. Failing health first necessitated that Cleo move into an assisted living center and eventually into the Powder River Manor in Broadus for full time care, where she resided until her death.A homemaker and a wonderful cook, Cleo made family holidays, birthdays and gatherings an enjoyable event. She will always be remembered by her family and grandchildren for wonderful homemade bread and cinnamon rolls. She had great pride in her family and as her own children grew up and married, she welcomed each addition into the family with open arms, and loved them all. Becoming a grandmother only intensified her happiness, and each grandchild brought sunshine to her life.
She is survived by her husband Leonard, and a son Steve Stoddard of the family ranch near Broadus, MT; A daughter-in-law, Bonnie Stoddard, of Belle Fourche, SD; granddaughters: Carla and her husband Shawn Klies of Hillsboro, OR, Julie and Joni Stoddard of Broadus; a daughter, Cindy and her husband Tim Bauman of Rawlins, WY; granddaughter, Gynene Shultz and great grandson Gage Patrick Dunn, of Rawlins; a son Mike and his wife Sherry Johnson of Laramie, WY; granddaughter, Jodi Thompson, and great grand son Devin Michael Thompson of Gillette, WY; and one grand son, Jay Johnson of Gillette. She is also survived by one sister,Verle Thomson of Mills, WY; and several nieces and nephews.
Cleo was preceded in death by her mother in 1939; father in 1964;brother Lloyd in 1983, and sisterLeota in 1990.
The family would appreciate memorials to the Powder River Manor, Broadus, MT 59317.
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