Chenoa - Dolores (Dee) Mae Cleveland, 91 of Chenoa died at 2:30 am, Monday, August 4, 2008 at Meadows Mennonite Home, Meadows, IL. Dee was born on St. Patrick's Day in 1917 in Farmer City, IL. The daughter of Darrell and Irene (Davis) Jones. As a youth, she served her family as the oldest daughter with a total of eleven siblings. She ultimately met and married a University of California psychologist, Earle A. Cleveland, employed at Chanute Field in Rantoul. Her life was immediately and irreversibly changed. His career took him from the Department of Defense, service as a Naval Officer, and, ultimately to the State Department.


Dee spent the next few decades of her life relocating from one home to another - at last count, after marriage, she lived in 68 homes/apartments all over the United States and world. Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, California, Oregon, Ohio, Washington, Virginia, Okinawa, Frankfurt, Berlin, Bonn, Tokyo, Cambodia, Nigeria, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, and many more. Through many of these years she raised two sons - Michael and David - and supported her husband's career. She traveled by every imaginable conveyance - car, ship, plane, bus, truck, train, jitney, cyclo, and rickshaw.


She shared her life with people from diverse cultures, religions, races, and social status. She socialized with friends, relatives, ambassadors, generals, business leaders, congressional representatives, senators, princes, and peasants.

She will be fondly remembered by those who marveled at her ability to persevere in every imaginable environment.


Even as her energy waned in later life, Dee continued the quest for those greener pastures on the far side of the hill - after Earle died, she moved and established new households six more times - ultimately deciding to return home to the prairies where she was raised.


Dee has embarked on her final journey - may it be a peaceful and rewarding trip.


She is survived by her two sons; Michael (Liz) Cleveland, Monticello, IL, David (Susan) Cleveland, Kailua, HI, grandchildren; Kristin, Brent, Joel, David and Kevin (deceased); great grandchildren Connor, Spencer, Brandon, Ella, and Riley; sisters Phyllis (Tillie), Joanne, Sandra, and Karen; brothers John, Les, Keith; and dozens of nephews and nieces - notably Sally Russell and David Harms.


Private family gatherings will be scheduled in Illinois, Ohio and Oregon - in keeping with her rolling stone lifestyle, she requested that her ashes be spread at an array of special locations. Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Chenoa is in charge of arrangements. No flowers, no gifts, no donations.