Cleo B. Cruikshank

Cleo B. Cruikshank, 83, of rural Taylorville died at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 2, 2006, in her home.

She was born August 26, 1922, in Stonington, the daughter of Roy and Sylvia White DeVore. She married John Donald Cruikshank on March 23, 1944, in East St. Louis, IL. Cleo graduated from Stonington High School with the class of 1941. During World War II she was one of the original “Rosie the Riveters” at Todd Shipyard in Berkeley, CA as a welder on the hull of the Liberty Ships. She was a housewife and bookkeeper for Cruikshank House Moving in East St. Louis from 1946 until 1970. She was then the bookkeeper for DeVore House Moving in Taylorville from 1970 until 2002. She was a charter member of the Evangelical Free Church, Taylorville. Cleo followed in the footsteps of her mother by teaching Sunday School for over 50 years, as well as holding “Good News Clubs” in her home for many years. She was known for her many crafts and quilts, as well as working in the Wal-Mart craft department for several years. She will be especially remembered for the thousands of plastic mesh magnets she has supplied to the church youth group and the second floor of St. Vincent’s Hospital, in Taylorville. She was a member of the Christian County Home Extension for over 30 years, holding many different offices on the Board.

Surviving are her husband; daughters: Ida (husband Mark) Wilson of Austin, Texas, Rose (husband Gene) DuVall of O’Fallon, IL, Nora (husband Paul) Swenson of Valdosta, Georgia, Jamye (husband David) Sims of Taylorville; son Ben (wife Jeanne) Cruikshank of rural Taylorville; and also foster children: Rhonda Wesley of Springfield and Ronnie Caton of Kansas City, MO; grandchildren: Tres (wife Danna) Hess, Tanner (wife Christi) Hess, Jonathan Sims, Anna (husband Jeff) Hunter, Heather (husband Kevin) Braden, Heather (husband Steve) Schmidt, Jessica Sims, Jack Cruikshank, David Cruikshank, Will Cruikshank, and foster grandchildren Nick Wesley and James Wesley; great grandchildren Ty, Shay, Amanda and Jacob Hess, Luke Braden, Kathryn and Ellianna Hunter. She was preceded in death by her parents and all of her siblings.

Funeral services will be held at the Evangelical Free Church, Taylorville on Thursday, July 6, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Jim Wolfe officiating. Burial will be in Old Stonington Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the church. Shafer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.