Cleo Thackston was born on January 3, 1933, to Bratcher and Opal Tarlton, she departed this life on March 10, 2021, at Ozarks Healthcare in West Plains, Missouri, at the age of 88.

She was united in marriage to B.B. Thackston in November 1949, in Harrisburg, Illinois, and to this union, three children were born.

Cleo is survived by her children, Stephen Thackston of Gulf Shores, AL; Ellen Nicholson (Dan) both of Winona, MO, Mona Bishop (Edward) of Cave-In-Rock, IL; brother, Charles Tarlton (Ruth) of Portland, OR; sister, Lois Mocklin (Rich) of Rock Falls, IL; twelve grandchildren; twenty-nine great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband, B.B. Thackston; parents, Bratcher and Opal Tarlton; brothers, Val Tarlton and wife Wanda, Lindle Tarlton and wife Barbara; sister, Sybil Clark and husband LeRay; and a great-grandson, Auster German.

Cleo, known as "Sis" to her family, was one of the most loving and strongest women they knew. She was married to a coal miner preacher. She loved and believed in the Lord, and was ready to go home and be with Him and meet the rest of her family there. She loved to play Yahtzee, almost every day, with her daughter, and of course, she always won, but that was because she always cheated. If she wasn't cheating, she wasn't playing. She had a great sense of humor and was quite a spitfire. She will be sorely missed.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Yarber Mortuary, Birch Tree, Missouri with Pastor Jeff Brake officiating. Visitation will be Friday, March 12, 2021, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. also at the chapel. Interment will be in Colbert's Cemetery in Herod, Illinois. Memorial contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans. Condolences may be expressed at www.yarbermortuary.com .