Cleo Hunter

Cleo Bernice Hunter, age 98, of Scranton ascended the stair steps of heaven to be with her husband, Jim on Friday, March 10, 2017 at the Gardens Assisted Living in Jefferson surrounded by her loving family.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 15 at the Scranton United Methodist Church with Rev. Joyce Webb officiating. Music for the service was by Karen Murphy as organist, Jim Howard as vocalist and Cassady Hoff playing the fiddle. Casket bearers were Monty Lumsden, Jim Howard, Mark Mattke, Dr. Todd Lumsden, Scot Lumsden and Mackenzie Mattke.  Burial was in the Scranton Township Cemetery. Visitation was held at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Scranton from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The casket was moved to the church at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday where visitation resumed until the time of service.

Born on July 11, 1918 on her family’s farm on Horseshoe Bend near Scranton, Iowa, Cleo was the daughter of Elmer and Jessie (Sayre) Silbaugh. She grew up on the farm and attended country school as a girl. She graduated from Scranton High School in 1937. Cleo was married to James Pangborn Hunter on April 21, 1939 at the home of Lucy Richards, her aunt, in Dawson, Iowa. Jim and Cleo made their home on a farm south of Scranton for their first year of marriage and they purchased their current farm in 1940. Cleo was very active in the farming operation. She had her own John Deere tractor, she walked beans, raised chickens, kept a master garden and an immaculate home. Cleo was an excellent cook and served three meals a day in the home and to the farm help in the fields during planting and harvest.  

She was active in the Scranton community and served as a mother advisor for the Rainbow Girls for many years. She was a member of Eastern Star, she belonged to the U Go I Go Club, the Greene County Saddle Club, the Iowa Quarter Horse Association, the Square Dancing Club and was a Pink Lady at the Greene County Medical Center for over 20 years. She was also a member of the International Clown Club and entertained as “IZZY” the clown for countless events. Cleo was a lifelong member of the Scranton United Methodist Church where she served as superintendent of the Sunday School and did a great deal of volunteer work.

Cleo is survived by her three daughters: Karen Lumsden (Monty) of Marion, Iowa, Jessie Howard (James) of Spirit Lake, Iowa and Inez Mattke (Mark) of Marion; four grandchildren: Dr. Todd Lumsden (Janice) of Jackson, Mo., Scot Lumsden (Carol Johnson) of Marion, Cassady Hoff (Kevin) of Casper, Wyo. and Mackenzie Mattke (fiancé Candi Hager to be wed in June) of Ames; three great-grandchildren: Dr. Marc Lumsden of Elmira, N.Y., and Rogen and Kavin Hoff of Casper; a great-great grandson, Broden; her brother, Sherman Silbaugh (Virginia) of Humboldt, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.

Cleo was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Jessie Silbaugh; her husband, James P. Hunter in 2013; her mother and father-in-law, Inez and Charles Hunter; three sisters: Myrtle Hoskins, Ruth Shiflett and Darlene Silbaugh; and three brothers: Foster, Paul and Norman.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Scranton and online condolences may be left for Cleo’s family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com.