CLEO R. SEIMER, 83, passed away May 12, 2002 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Chewelah, surrounded by his loving family. Mr. Seimer was born July 27 1918 at Daven-port, Washington to Loy R. and Marie (Detillion) Seimer.

The family moved to the Upper Cottonwood area in 1924. Cleo at-tended Upper Cottonwood grade school and graduated from Chewelah Jenkins High School in 1936. He worked at various jobs in the woods, sawmills and a short time at the Thermax plant. He was drafted and then enlisted in the Air Force in July 1941, where he attended several mechanical schools and became an officer in the Air Force on June 27, 1944. He served as a 1st pilot on B17 bombers in the European theater.

Cleo married Virginia Koener on July 3, 1944. Following his hon-orable discharge, the Seimers purchased a dairy farm west of Addy and farmed for 22 years. They moved to Chewelahin1968where Cleo was employed by Mitzner John Deer Machinery for a year. From 1969 until his retirement in 1987, he worked as a heavy duty mechanic at Vaagen's Sawmill in Colville.

Cleo enjoyed gardening, fishing, listening to fiddle music, playing pinochle and going to basketball games. He reported the daily weather via ham radio for 24 years to the National Weather Service in Spokane.

Cleo was a member of the Panorama Ham Radio Club, the Panorama Good Sam Club and the Se-nior Citizen Club.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Virginia, at the home; daugh-ters and their husbands, Kathy and Bill Wilson of Spokane and Rita and Don Evans of Waverly, WA; grand-daughter, Tina and her husband, Michael Kelley; grandsons, Paul and his wife, Kammy, Thompson of Spokane, Joshua and Reid Evans of Waverly; three great-grandchildren; sister Lois and her husband, Cliff Lehman of Rice, WA; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services will he Thursday, May 16, 11a.m. at Schanzenbach Funeral Home, Chewelah, Washington. Burial will follow at Chewelah Catholic Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to charities of choice or to the Shriners Hospital for Children, P.O. Box 2472 Spokane, WA 99210.

Cleo R Seimer