Cleo Alice (Arends) Smith age 87 of Cambridge died April 14, 2013 at GracePointe Crossing Gables West. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at Constance Evangelical Free Church in Andover with visitation 1 hour before the service at church. Interment will be in Morningside Memorial Gardens in Coon Rapids.
Cleo Alice Smith, 87, slipped into the waiting arms of her Lord on April 14, 2013 at GracePointe Crossing Gables West in Cambridge. She was born on September 21, 1925 to John and Carrie (Harms) Arends in White, South Dakota. Cleo grew up in Mora, Minnesota where she married Clarence Henry Smith on January 29, 1943. They moved to Portland, Oregon until the close of WWII. Returning to Minnesota, they resided in Mora, Minneapolis, Coon Rapids and Andover.
Besides homemaking, Cleo was an avid gardener, dedicated Pioneer Girls leader, and enthusiastic amateur genealogist and loved quilting. For many years she supplied her family with homemade quilts. She was always active in her church – a true expression of her strong faith.
Cleo was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Amelia Berg; brother, Leslie Arends; husband, Clarence Smith and daughter Joanne Trenda. She is survived by 3 daughters, Linda (Charles) Sabatke, Beverly (William) Payne, Anita (Allan) Standish; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren; 2 brothers, Raymond Arends, Charles (Ruby) Arends; and by numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials are suggested to Children’s Shelter of Cebu, PO Box 247, Cambridge, MN 55008.
Cleo and Clarence were neighbors of ours where I grew up in Coon Rapids years ago. This family showed all of the neighborhood kids kindness, love and friendship. Wonderful people. God bless their memories.