Cleo Ann Dawson

January 16, 1939 — May 11, 2025

Cleo Dawson

Service Details

Cleo Ann Dawson, 86, passed away Sunday May, 11 2025 surrounded by family. Cleo was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin on January 16, 1939 to Cecelia and Thaddeus Critchfield. She attended St. Joseph’s Academy and at the age of 20 married Dean Dawson. Cleo and Dean were married for 23 years and raised three daughters. The family’s summer vacations were usually spent in Colorado and winter weekends were spent snowmobiling.

Cleo spent most of her career as an HR consultant working at The Des Moines Register and Midwest Gas eventually retiring from Principal. It was the perfect job for a committed extrovert who could talk you out of your life story in a matter of minutes.

Cleo always kept things lively, especially in her senior years when she was more gregarious and outspoken, sometimes in an eyebrow raising way. She loved her Friday night gang, especially when it was her turn to pick the restaurant. Cleo also loved shoes, especially the ones YOU were wearing. She was a voracious reader and enjoyed watching Hawkeye and Packer football, preferably with a Chardonnay in hand. She looked forward to her trips to Seattle and Whidbey Island which she took annually with friends and family. Cleo was a devoted grandma to her grandsons, Noah and Nash, attending all of their sporting and school events and spending as much time as she could with them.

Cleo is survived by her daughters, Leann Dawson (Arthur Fleming), Kelly Nolan (Kevin) and Lori Dawson-Weeks (Kurt Weeks); her grandsons, Noah Weeks (Arianna) and Nash Weeks; her great-granddaughter, Sloane Weeks; and nephew, Patrick Kearney (Peggy) and family.

A celebration of life visitation will be held from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, IA.

Contributions in Cleo’s memory can be made to Unity Point Hospice.

A very special thanks to the staff at Unity Point and Walnut Ridge who went above and beyond in her care. Thank you, Erin, Leslie and Katie for your devotion to making Cleo comfortable in her final months.

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