Cleo Skinner Griffin

Cleo Skinner Griffin, age 96, died at Autumn Care Assisted Living on November 11, 2024 from, in her words, “just plain old age.”

She was born on April 27, 1928 in Nounan, Idaho, to Ralph Morgan and Opal Bee Skinner. She was the oldest of ten children. She lived and went to school in various Idaho communities until 1941, when her family moved to Smithfield Utah. She attended Smithfield Junior High and North Cache High School. 

In November 1943, she met Michael Griffin on a blind date. They dated until Mike joined the Navy. She waited until Mike came home and on October 3, 1946, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. They lived in Newton, Utah their entire married life. Mike died on September 15, 2016, after almost 70 years of marriage. They had eight children, Sherry Johnson (Darwin, deceased), Dan (Janis), Roland (Michelle), Wendy Bourne, Lynnette Jones (Morris, deceased), Jay R. (deceased), Bret (deceased), and Jannell Adams (deceased). Mike and Cleo have 23 grandchildren and many great and great-great-grandchildren. 

Cleo worked many part-time jobs throughout her life, including Logan Knitting Mills, the Cheese Factory, and Mode O’Day. Her skills as a seamstress and tailor were sought by many. In 1967, she began working for the Internal Revenue Service, where she was a tax specialist for twenty years. She was promoted several times and received numerous commendations. One of the awards she received included a comment from a taxpayer that said Cleo was “very efficient, congenial, and revealed a humanness not usually accorded to IRS. She made many friends while working at IRS. 

When Cleo’s husband began racing thoroughbred horses as both owner and trainer, Cleo joined him on weekends at first and then full-time after her retirement. For twenty years, they traveled the western United States, winning many races and making friends wherever they went. 

At the age of 69, Cleo received a church calling as literacy specialist and was inspired to establish a library in Newton. Her love of reading and history enhanced her desire for a library, which officially opened on May 2, 1998. It began with two bookshelves in the old schoolhouse, but soon grew to being housed in the school gymnasium. Cleo served as the Director until 2009 and then became the Special Collections Librarian. She always attributed the library’s success as answers to prayers, but her dedication and perseverance, along with the help of many others, resulted in a full-service library that is cherished by the people in Newton. 

Cleo has been active in church and community service her whole life. She continued her lifelong passion for genealogy and family history almost until her death. She has spent her life in service to her family and anyone else she felt was in need. She enjoyed diversity in others and could converse with anyone, old and young alike. She was very creative, and her talents included floral arranging, crocheting, and sewing/tailoring. She especially loved a good book. Her testimony of the gospel and the creations of her hands have enriched the lives of many. 

Cleo loved life and looked forward to meeting her ancestors that allowed her to live in the United States of America and the opportunity to be born into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

No public services will be held. A family graveside service will be held at the Newton Cemetery.