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Cleo Montgomery
CLEO MONTGOMERY
Hiawatha
With great sadness, the family of Cleo Montgomery, 86, of Hiawatha, Iowa, announces his passing on Friday, March 20, 2020, at the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. A private family graveside service will be held at Linwood Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date, due to the COVID-19 virus. Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids is assisting the family with arrangements.
Cleo Earl Montgomery was born on Dec. 29, 1933, near Milan, Mo., the son of Leo and Ruby (Hunt) Montgomery. He grew up on the farm, graduating from Newtown-Harris High School in Newtown, Mo., in 1952. In 1956, Cleo moved to Cedar Rapids and began a 43-year career at Pepsi-Cola, retiring in 1999. He was united in marriage to Kathleen K. Freeman on Nov. 25, 1967, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. He was a longtime member of Living Hope Wesleyan Church.
Cleo was a devoted husband and family man. He was a man of his word, friendly and willing to share stories. He especially loved talking about his early years growing up on the farm. He was a self-proclaimed country boy through and through. He witnessed amazing changes over his life, working with horses, attending a one-room schoolhouse in his youth - the stories were endless. He enjoyed crossword puzzles, Western movies, John Deere tractors and, most of all, spending time with his family. He was a proud former owner of a '51 Studebaker. He will be dearly missed.
Survivors include his loving wife of 52 years, Kathleen Montgomery of Hiawatha, Iowa; sons, Todd Montgomery and Troy Montgomery, both of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and grandchildren, Presley Montgomery of Cedar Rapids and Chase Montgomery of Marion, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; a brother in infancy, Earl Lee Montgomery; and granddaughter, Mikayla Taylor Montgomery.
Memorials may be directed to the family.
Please share a memory of Cleo at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
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