Obituaries

Cleo Arlene Nicklas

Cleo Arlene Nicklas, 92, of Springdale, Ark., passed away Sunday, Aug. 31, 2014, at the Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith. Cleo was born on Aug. 16, 1922, in Moville, Iowa, a daughter of Helen Rawson and Ivan Paul Rawson. She graduated from Moville High School as valedictorian in 1940. She married Lee Roy Nicklas on May 6, 1942, in Moville at the First Assembly of God Church. Lee and Cleo moved around during Lee's ministry and finally settled in Springdale in 1970, where Lee passed away in 2003. Cleo was a homemaker while her children were at home. Later she earned her CNA but instead babysat in her home until she was in her 80s. During her retirement she loved to go to church, work word search puzzles, play Uno, dominoes and Bingo. She also loved to work 1,000-piece puzzles. She kept her house clean and neat, attended parades, 4th of July celebrations and concerts her daughter, Karen, son-in-law, Keith, and grandson, Joshua, performed in. She is survived by three sons, Darwin Nicklas of Lexington, Ore., David and Brian Nicklas of Springdale; three daughters, Elaine Nicklas of Charleston, Ark., Anne Hamilton of Carrolton, Mo., and Karen Brannon of Lavaca, Ark.; 12 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Kevin in 2002; one sister; and one brother. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014, at 1 p.m. at the Johnson Church of Christ, with visitation held at the church prior from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pastor Larry Culbreath will officiate the service, with burial being held at the Fairview Memorial Gardens in Fayetteville, under the direction of the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Springdale. Visit www.backstrom-pyeatte.com to sign online guest book.

Published September 3, 2014

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