Cleon Hunter

Cleon, also known as Doanie and Dan, was born June 22, 1918 and left us to be with the Lord December 7, 2008. Cleon was born in Spearville, Kansas to Jess and Florence Gabbert. They moved to the farm at Albert, Kansas. There a brother Jimmie came along; Cleon was happy to have a baby brother. She liked helping her Dad farm with a horse drawn plow and being a tomboy; always on a horse, taking eggs and cream in town to sell. The family moved to Springfield when Cleon was 11 years old. Still working shoulder to shoulder with her Dad; they farmed and worked together, including working at a government office to help out. They were paid with tickets called Deores; these tickets could buy food, clothes or gasoline. A baby sister was born named Eltha Lynn. In 1936 Cleon married Fernie “Speck” Hunter. They stated a family and had a daughter named Sharon Kaye. Sharon was born just before the war. The family then moved to Lamar; Speck worked as a mechanic in Granada at the Amachi Camp. After the war the family moved back to Springfield where Speck continued farming and working as an oil dealer. Seven years after Sharon was born a son arrived, named Michael Scott. Six years after Mike was born, their second son Douglas Trent was added to the family. Douglas grew up loving horses just like his mother. Cleon and Speck enjoyed spending time with other couples. They would have pot luck suppers, play cards and make homemade ice cream. Farming was always a big part of their lives. Cleon saw a lot of world changes, going from a horse drawn plow to satellite controlled tractors and combines. In 1956 the family moved to Pueblo; Speck ran a Mobil station and later operated a used car lot with his sons. Grandchildren started arriving; Cleon and Speck were always so proud and happy. First Sharon’s children came along Greg, Pam, and then Staci; Doug’s children, Tara and Justin; also Chandra and Shane. Cleon’s life revolved around her children and grandchildren. The fun really started when her great-grandchildren were born. Pam’s son Jazz was the first great-grandchild; followed by Thomas James “T.J.”, Staci’s son. Tara added five; Hope, Maddison, Hunter, Jolie, and Jonathon. Justin had Clayton, Hayden and Hayley. At one time or the other Cleon baby sat with each one while the parents worked. She could tell stories or sayings about each one of them. Cleon was very family oriented. Speck died in 1996 and didn’t get to see all of the great-grandchildren. Her nieces and nephews were very special to here: Nikki, Lori, Michelle and Kyle. Cleon moved back to Springfield to be with family in 2000. She always enjoyed visiting with her brother and sister and having big family dinners. Cleon still loved horses and enjoyed going to the horse races and dog races. She had a beloved cat named Rhea. She was a very good artist and our family has several of her oil paintings. She loved homemade ice cream and home grown tomatoes. She could make a delicious meal out of very little and everyone always had to eat, no person left her home without being fed. She would say, “If I knew you were coming I’d would have bake a cake.” Well, it might not be a cake, it could be cookies, or pie, but one could always get goodies. In heaven she joins her parents, Jess and Florence; husband Speck; son, Mike; grandson, Greg; granddaughter, Pam; son-in-law, Rocky; great grandson Jazz and brother-in-law Kenneth Leimkuhler. Cleon is survived by her brother, Jimmie; sister, Eltha Lynn; daughter, Sharon; son, Doug; grandchildren, Staci (Michael) Goodbar; Tara (Andrew) Heintz; Justin (Krissy) Hunter; Chandra and Shane Hunter. Great grandchildren T.J. Grace; Clayton, Hayden and Hayley Hunter; Hope, Maddison and Hunter Hastings; Jolie and Jonathan Heintz. Nieces and nephews, Nikki Leimkuhler; Lori (Les ) Schroyer, Michelle (Boyd) Westeman and Kyle (Heather) Leimkuhler. Great nieces and nephews, Phillip Packard, Emily and Even Westeman. Cleon leaves behind all her family at Long Term Care Center also all her friends and neighbors in Springfield and Pueblo.