Cleo D. Havlis

Cleo D. Havlis, age 85, formerly of Starkweather, ND, died Sunday, December 6, 2009, in Serenity Assisted Living, Dilworth, MN, under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.Cleo Doraine Hemmingson was born on December 27, 1923 to Elmer and Genevieve Hall Hemmingson in Corinth, ND. She was raised in Kenmare, ND and graduated from Parshall High School in 1941. Cleo attended Minot State Teachers College and received her two year teaching certificate. On October 25, 1947, she married John A. Havlis in Parshall, ND. In 1952, Johnnie and Cleo moved to Starkweather, ND, where they raised their family. In 1972, she received her Bachelor's of Education degree from UND. She taught in several North Dakota communities including Starkweather for 29 years. Cleo retired from teaching in 1989. After retirement, she and Johnnie did some traveling and in 1997, they moved to Hawley, MN to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. In 2007, Cleo became a resident of Serenity Assisted Living in Dilworth, MN. Cleo enjoyed reading, listening to sports on the radio and visiting with family and friends.She is survived by two daughters; Susan Gerald Zimmel of Dilworth, MN and Jane Dale VanHavermaet of Hawley, MN; grandchildren, Michael Sarah, Ryan and Emily Liljestrand and Genna, Andrew and Luke VanHavermaet; great-grandson, Benjamin Liljestand and sister, Verla Iwen, Great Falls, MT.She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Johnnie, son, John, brothers, Jack and Boyd Hemmingson and sisters, Gloria Reichert and Jean Korsmo.