Cleo Elsie Giltner, 91, of Ottumwa, died at 6:25 a.m. September 26, 2024 at Vista Woods Care Center in Ottumwa.
She was born May 6, 1933 in Wapello County to Marvin and Vera Schertz McGhee. She married Harold “Dean” Giltner on December 23, 1956 and he preceded her in death on September 8, 2016.
Spending most of her life on a farm in Batavia, Cleo was a 1951 graduate of Ottumwa High School. She attended Ottumwa Heights College, Parsons College and Northeast Missouri State University. Cleo taught elementary school for 41 years, with three years in Danville, one year in Pella and 37 years for the Ottumwa Community School District at Douglas, James and Eisenhower.
Cleo attended First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school and helped with the youth and served on the church board and the Christian Education Committee. Cleo was a member of the retired school personnel of Wapello County and was a member of the Ottumwa Trees Forever. She helped develop the Eisenhower School Outdoor Learning Center and spent several summers helping at the Forest Lake Baptist Camp. In 1988, she received the State Soil Conservative Education Teacher Award from the Conservation Education Council and the Des Moines Register.
Surviving are her children, Joy (Brian) Thompson of Ottumwa and Michael (Priscilla) Giltner of Batavia; six grandchildren, Ashlie (Adam) Vivian of Ottumwa, Travis Thompson of Batavia, Shelly (Chris) Arp of Williamsburg, Ryan (Danae) Giltner, Marcus (Tarah) Giltner and Adam Giltner (fiancé Morgan Wells) all of Batavia; 10 great-grandchildren, Connor Monroe, Maddisen Peterson, Nathan, Max, Charlotte and Asher Arp, and Bayla, Olivia, Brooks and Klay Giltner and another one on the way; 2 sisters, Kathryn Irwin of Estherville and Nancy Rifenberry of Ottumwa; as well as two sisters-in-law, Jane McGhee of Ottumwa and Addie Kay Giltner of Batavia.
She was preceded in death by her parents: two brothers, Harold McGhee and Wayne McGhee; and sisters, Reva Gilliland and Shirley Fogle.
Visitation will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, September 30th at Reece Funeral Home. The family will be present to greet friends one hour prior to the service on Tuesday.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 1st at Reece Funeral Home with Pastor Mel Kendall officiating. Burial will be in Batavia Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Serving Davis and Wapello Counties.
