Reta Cleo (Johnson) Gossett (1930 - 2023)

Born 24 Mar 1930 in Cottonwood, Eddy, New Mexico, United States

Ancestors

Died 5 Oct 2023 at age 93 in Moses Lake, Grant, Washington, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Johnson Name Study.

Cleo Johnson was born 24 Mar 1930 in Cottonwood (Artesia), Eddy Co., New Mexico, USA to I. P. Johnson and Nora Strebeck. She married Leroy Gossett ^[1] in 1949 and they lived in Ephrata, Washington. ^[2]

Cleo and Leroy's children are: ^[1]

1. Wayne Gossett; m. 1) Lanette Gilly; m. 2) Renee ?.
2. David Gossett; m. Sharon Dafforn.
3. Diane Gossett; m. Rick Joslin.

See also:

• Isaac Peebles Johnson and Nora Ann Strebeck Family

Census/Residences

1940: Cottonwood, Eddy, New Mexico, USA. ^[3]

Age 10. Includes father, Isaac P. (52), mother, Nora (45), and siblings Lamar (25), Charles (20), Mary (17), Helen (16), Christine (15), Elizabeth (13), Edna E. (12), Bill (11), Oleta (8), and Oneta (8).

1950: Mesilla Park, Doña Ana, New Mexico, USA ^[4]

Age 20, born in New Mexico. Includes husband, Leroy J Gossett (22, cashier at State College Cafeteria, born in Texas).

1993-2009 Residence: Ephrata, Washington, USA ^[5]

Born: 24 Mar 1930. Includes husband, Leroy J. Gossett.

Death

Died: 5 Oct 2023 ^[6] in Moses Lake, Grant Co., Washington, USA. ^[2]

Obituary: Columbia Basin Herald, October 11, 2023 ^[2]

Cleo Reta (Johnson) Gossett

Longtime Ephrata resident Cleo Gossett went to be with the Lord on Oct. 5, 2023. Cleo was born March 24, 1930, and grew up on a farm near Artesia, N.M., with 13 siblings who all experienced hard work as a way of life.

She attended college at New Mexico A&M where she met LeRoy Gossett, and they were married from 1949 until her passing. In 1962, the family moved to Ephrata where LeRoy took an engineering job at the Bureau of Reclamation. Two years later, they purchased an undeveloped farm unit in Block 71 and have lived there since.

Cleo loved the country life and was active in neighborhood groups and the leader of the 4-H club she helped start for her three children; since she was once a 4-Her herself and wanted them to have the same opportunities. She was often teaching a sewing class or driving the carpool for the neighborhood kids.

Cleo was an artist and creative at heart. She excelled at sewing, baking and oil painting, and always had some craft or project in progress. She also had a servant's heart, whether it was serving her family, working in the nursery, leading a Bible study, volunteering at Tall Timber and Canon Beach Conference Center or providing a dessert or meal when called upon.

One of her greatest loves, besides her husband, were her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was her delight to rock babies, play games, find reasons for parties and tell stories and jokes. Hearing her easy and frequent laughter is one of the family’s fondest memories.

Cleo attributed the successes of her life to her commitment to the Lord Jesus and knew her life would not have been the same without His love and guidance.

She and LeRoy were longtime members of the Presbyterian Church and later were founding members of the Community Church of Ephrata. In recent months, Cleo has been a resident of Summer Wood Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Moses Lake.

Cleo is preceded in death by her parents I.P. and Nora Johnson and her 13 siblings. She is survived by LeRoy, her husband of 74 years, her three children, Diane Joslin, Dave Gossett (Sharon) and Wayne Gossett (Renee), six grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and numerous Johnson nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family suggests donating to Alzheimer’s Association https://act.alz.org/donate.

A celebration of life will be held at the Community Church of Ephrata on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Johnson, Lee E.; McCaw, Mary S.; Butler, Christine P., The Johnson Family Record, published 1976, pages 55-59.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Online obituary for Cleo Reta (Johnson) Gossett, Columbia Basin Herald, October 11, 2023 1:51 PM.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch, Cleo Johnson in household of T J Johnson, Election Precinct 10 Cottonwood, Eddy, New Mexico, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 8-22, sheet 2A, line 77, family 28, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2444. - Note: Father, I.P., is erroneously transcribed as T.J.
4. ↑ "United States 1950 Census", FamilySearch : Fri Oct 06 19:05:25 UTC 2023, Entry for Leroy J Gossett and Cleo R Gossett, April 20, 1950.
5. ↑ "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch : 23 May 2014, Cleo R Gossett, Residence, Ephrata, Washington, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.
6. ↑ "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages 1980-2014", FamilySearch : Mon Mar 11 00:24:39 UTC 2024, Entry for Cleo Reta Johnson Gossett, 11 October 2023.

See also:

• FamilySearch profile for Reta Cleo Johnson.