Cleatis Dwain Vinyard

Cleatis Dwain Vinyard, age 74, of Griffith passed away Wednesday, December 3, 2014. Cleatis is survived by his wife of 55 years, Joyce (nee Wilkins); two sons Tim (Kay) Vinyard of MI and Ted (Mary Beth) Vinyard of Valparaiso; two daughters Tami (Greg) Widelski of KY and Edie (Greg) Gajewski of IL; ten grandchildren; 1 great grandchild; 1 brother Cecil (Bobbie) Vinyard of Calumet Township; one brother in law Joe (Connie) Poliquin of Crown Point; nieces and nephews. Cleatis was preceded in death by his parents Cleatis and Frieda Vinyard and his sister Elaine. Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 8 at 10 AM at First Baptist Church of Griffith with Rev. Dr. Scott Hobbs officiating. Burial will follow at Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens. Friends may visit with the family on Sunday, December 7 from 2-6 PM at Kuiper Funeral Home, 9039 Kleinman Road, Highland (two blocks south of Ridge Road). Cleatis was a member of First Baptist Church of Griffith. He retired from Ironworkers Local 395 in Hammond and also Laborers Local 41 of Hammond. He was a member of Griffith Masonic Lodge 735 F&AM and a member of the Scottish Rite, Valley of South Bend.