Cleo Holmes Painter passed away on May 18, 2022. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. Only 94 years-old when she passed born December 9, 1927, in Liberty, Utah. She grew up as the middle child of 13 siblings children of Robert F. Holmes and Sarah Ann Chard Holmes (Granny). Of the 13, 3 are still living: Shyrel Holmes Roberts, Clifford Holmes, and Carl Holmes.
Cleo’s beloved husband Lee passed away in 2009. They were married for 61 years in this life, having been sealed for this life and the next in the Salt Lake City Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
What a joyous reunion for her, her husband Lee, her immediate and extended family, friends, and a grandson (Mark).
Lee and Cleo took great joy in their family. They provided a loving and stable home and bringing up for their children, Greg and Steve; a wonderful environment for their grandchildren Jeremy Painter, Amber Painter Richardson, Clayton Painter, Kelsi Painter, and Mark Painter; for great grandchildren; and for various friends especially those who happened to be in their home or playing outside at dinner time.
Her grandkids and great-grandkids enjoyed staying at her house where they could spend time outside on the farm and wake up to a breakfast of pancakes every morning.
She wasn’t big on showing emotion, but she was always interested in people and made it a point to ask how they were doing and sometimes how they might be related to her or those she knew. Up until the end, she was quick to answer questions about who and how someone was related. She and Lee were blessed with life-long friendships.
She seemed crusty towards our critters; getting after the hunting dogs for digging in and laying in her flowers, the cats, rabbits, goats and anything else we had around. But if they got sick or injured, she was quick to nurse them back to health.
Her interest in people extended beyond the grave: She worked in name extraction and got very good at it back in the day when she had to peruse microfilm.
Cleo enjoyed quilting. She spent countless hours upstairs in Plain City stitching away on beautiful quilts for family and friends making sure that all of her kids and grandkids had one of her hand-stitched quilts. Some of those hours were spent alongside of a fellow quilter which made it that much more enjoyable.
She loved keeping a tidy and pleasing yard and garden. She said that she preferred working outdoors to indoors.
She worked hard all of her life having many responsibilities on her family’s farm in Liberty and on the family farm in Plain City. She was also employed at various jobs and enjoyed her time as a chauffeur at the Defense Depot Ogden.
After Lee died, she moved to St. George and lived next door to Greg and his wife Karen who provided love and care for her. One spring, a hard frost hit and she quipped that it caused a “total crop failure”: one tomato plant in a pot.
She spent the last years of her life in Cedar City where Steve and his wife DeAnn were able to visit regularly as she was receiving care in a skilled nursing facility.
She touched many lives for good, and her passing leaves a hole in our hearts.
There will be a graveside service and her remains will be interred at a later date alongside Lee’s in the Ogden City Cemetery. Family and close friends will be notified of the date.
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