Cleo Louise Knez

My mother-in-law, Cleo Knez, recently passed away and I wanted to write her obituary, but I wanted to express more about her than most obituaries say. I was interested in researching her genealogy so in 1984 I started interviewing Cleo about her growing up years. Little did I know that when she opened up to me, we would both end up in tears and laughter. A thank you to my son, Eric Knez, for letting me included information from the eulogy he gave at her funeral.

Obituary of Cleo Louise Terry Knez

Jacqueline “Cleo” Louise Terry was born on July 6th 1923, in Tilden, Illinois, to Francis Adeline Thompson and Clarence Terry. She had one older sister Pat, one younger sister E’Rena, and two younger brothers James (Jimmy), and Rick. When Cleo was about three years old the family went by train to Colorado, disembarking at Mt. Harris. Her father and grandfather Terry were already working there in the coalmine. During these younger years, Cleo’s family frequently moved from place to place so Clarence and his father could find steady work.

Her grandfather Terry had nicknamed her “Jackie”, but when she started kindergarten in Mt. Harris the children started teasing her, telling her that “Jackie” was a boy’s name. That was when she decided to change her name, so she picked “Cleo”. She eventually had it legally changed to Cleo Louise Terry. They were very poor but lucky enough to have hand-me-down clothes given to them. The owner of a store in Hayden gave shoes to the children. The shoes that Cleo received hurt her feet, so her mother made Jimmy wear the shoes! He was horrified. Cleo would just as soon go barefoot.

Now it was 1933 and Cleo was 9 years old living with her aunt’s daughter in Gypsum. This was a big turning point in her life. On June 2nd, 1933, her mother passed away from a staph infection which occurred after she had an appendix operation. With her mother now gone and a father who was out of her life far more than he was in it, Cleo had to develop immense strength almost immediately.

Cleo quickly became responsible for her own well-being and shortly after her mother’s passing, her Grandma Thompson signed papers for four of Francis’s children to go live at the State Home in Denver as she couldn’t adequately care for them anymore, however Cleo stayed behind and continued living with her grandma. Cleo was unable to contact her siblings for many years. By the time Cleo finished 8th grade, she was living in Phippsburg with her aunt Clara working in Clara’s laundry business.

Cleo said when she’d get upset, she would go up to the cemetery and cry at her mother’s grave. Eventually she left for Oak Creek and worked for the Stetson family who owned a diary. That’s where she attended dances at the schoolhouse. She loved to dance ever since she was a child. Her father would take her to the bar with him. While he played different instruments, he would have her dance on the bar. She remembered people giving her coins, but she also remembered her dad telling her that she wasn’t allowed to keep them and that he would keep them for her.

Cleo turned seventeen and was still moving around quite a bit. She worked for Shefsteads in their home doing household chores. That’s where she learned to iron clothes and how to cut up chickens! As fate would have it, Cleo eventually went to work for Mr & Mrs. Joe Knez on their ranch outside of Craig. The Knez Family owned a coal mine and part of Cleo’s job was helping cook for the family and the coal mine workers, along with various household duties. This is where she met the love of her life, Antone Knez.

At one point, white Antone’s mother was away visiting relatives in Minnesota, she and Antone made plans to get married and Antone’s father encouraged them and so on the 28th day of September 1941, the wedding went as planned at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Craig. Antone had been employed at the family mine, however after the wedding, Antone bought a coal truck and began hauling coal from the ColoWyo Mine to Craig.

Cleo and Antone’s family quickly grew. On May 22nd, 1943, Thomas (Tom) was born, and Cleo called him “Tommy Joe”. The day before Tom was born, she was herding sheep while Antone was busy adding an addition onto their house. Their next child, Ralph was born in 1944 and a baby girl named Delores was born the following year. Five years later in 1952, Robert (Bobby) was born, Delbert came into the world three years later and her last child, John was born in 1960.

Cleo loved to paint using a brush and enamel paint. When she helped her mother-in-law paint her house soon word got around that Cleo painted. At the time there wasn’t such a thing as a paint roller. She painted a lot of houses around Craig and soon her sister-in-law, Louise Fedinec joined her in painting, including the St. Michael’s Church and rectory.

It was 1978 and Cloe had wanted to move into town for so long. The opportunity presented itself when it was proposed that she and Antone would exchange houses with their son, Tom and his wife Helen. Cleo was so happy, but Antone had a hard time after living all his life on the Knez Ranch. One day Helen’s father, Bill Reglin, and Tom’s cousin, Leon Fedinec, went to the house and talked to Antone. Cleo didn’t know what they said Antone, but she said it helped as Antone eventually relented and the home trade took place quickly thereafter.

After moving into town, Cleo was back at work again helping at the high school in the kitchen and she applied for a job as a cook at Sunset Meadows Senior Center and worked there for several years. They loved her cooking…almost as much as she loved to cook!

Another passion of Cleo’s was when her sister, E’Rena, introduced her to the game of golf. She would play golf with Tom and his wife, Helen and Ralph’s wife, Helen, but I think her favorite partner was Sister Mary Ann Flax. You could hear them laughing and having a great time together. Cleo and Antone also enjoyed the game of Pinocle. They would have family and friends join them for a fun night of cards and delicious food.

It was on August 15th, 1993, when her husband, Antone passed away. In searching for something to fill her lonely days, Cleo was encouraged to take up Line Dancing, which was being taught by Corky Coverston. Cleo took the advice and was dancing once again. In addition to dancing, she and her friend Ruth Dahm would go on road trips together. Cleo would write down every turn they took and would note any other landmarks so they could find their way back home!

Cleo enjoyed traveling. She went with Sister Mary Ann to Ireland, and she loved Ireland so much that she went a 2nd time with the Northwest Colorado Community College group. She also traveled to Hawaii, Branson, MO and Albuquerque to see the balloon festival, and she took several trips all throughout Colorado and other states with the Senior Citizen group. When possible, she would venture to McDonald’s to visit with friends. She joined the Red Hat Society and she also became a volunteer at the Memorial Hospital working in the gift shop and the front desk.

Her grandson, Eric Knez, gave the eulogy at her funeral. A word that came to him to describe Cleo was “strong”. She exhibited incredible strength all throughout her life. She suffered several immense losses in her family. In June of 1996, her son, Ralph, was killed in a tractor accident while spraying weeds by a livestock pond. Then in September of 1997, her son, John, passed away, in October of 2005, her son, Robert, passed away, and in June of 2022, her son, Delbert passed away. Despite these unspeakable losses, Cleo never lost her sense of humor nor her zest for life.

Cleo’s sister, Doris (Pat) Goodman; sister, E’Rena Hockenberry; brother Rick Terry and her brother, Jimmy, all preceded her in death.

Cleo spent her last few years in Pioneers Medical Center, Walbridge Wing in Meeker. She enjoyed receiving visitors and cards and playing bingo. She was very lucky at Bingo! She would light up the room with her smile when she saw a friendly face. One of the nicest tributes written about her by one of her caregivers was: “She was an inspiration in life. Her humor, wit, and outstanding look on life kept her steady for so long. She could light up a room and she had a sparkle to her that was contagious in such a good way. She will stay alive forever in so many of our memories.”

The most important aspect of Cleo’s life was her faith. Cleo said the most precious memory she had of her mother was seeing her at home kneeling down and saying her prayers. Cleo kept up this practice all her life. Proverbs Chapter 31, verse 30, says “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised”. She embodied her faith and never wavered from it. She knew who Jesus is and accepted the free gift of his sacrifice on the cross for her sins and as a result she is in Heaven right now having the time of her life. Not only has she met her Savior, but she’s also been reunited with her husband, her children, her parents, siblings, in-laws and friends too numerous to county.

Cleo is survived by her son, Tom (Helen) Knez and her daughter, Delores Crow (Benny Farrington). Cleo and Antone’s six children had 16 grandchildren, those 16 grandchildren had a total of 34 great-grandchildren and thus far those 34 great-grandchildren have produced 11 great-great-grandchildren and one on the way!

A rosary will be held at 6:30 p.m., Friday, January 5, 2024 at The Grant Mortuary Chapel. Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 6, 2023 at St. Michael Catholic Church. Memorial donations may be made to The Boys and Girls Club in care of Grant Mortuary.