Leola Colleen Didericksen Cline passed away June 19, 2021. Colleen was born June 2, 1933, to DeLawn and Bernice Didericksen. She is the oldest of their three daughters: Colleen, Coraleigh, and Margie. Colleen raised five wonderful children, Michael, Mark, Paula, and her twins, Sterling and Steven. Colleen was a creative person. She loved to knit, crochet and sew. As a child, her Grandma Nelson taught her to crochet. In her words: "Grandma Nelson taught me how to make a chain stitch, and then she told me that when I had made one long enough to go around the outside of the house, she would teach me how to crochet. So, I did it!" Colleen made beautiful, crocheted pieces for display and use. She pieced and quilted on her quilting machine amazing quilts for her children and grandchildren. She customized each for the person receiving it. Colleen was creative in many other ways, painting, drawing, calligraphy, music, Photoshop...
Colleen loved genealogy. She especially loved sharing pictures she had gathered and organized of her ancestors. She often told us how she looked forward to her joyful reunion them, which she is now having.
While working to support her five children, Colleen also earned a bachelor's and a master's degree. In the workplace, she did not tolerate disrespect. She advocated for herself, and for others around her. She was kind and respectful to people of all backgrounds, even when others of her coworkers marginalized them.
Colleen was passionate about politics and elections. She was an informed voter and volunteered as an election judge in her voting precinct for many years.
Colleen loved to travel and spoke often about her trip to the Holy Land with her sister Corrie.
Colleen did not like to use her first name of Leola, but she lived up to it. She was a lioness as the name denotes. When faced with difficulties, she formulated a strategy, worked her strategy and conquered her adversities. For 38 years she battled cancers, five diagnoses of different forms of cancer. Through all of them, she faced every day with courage, joy, and hope. At age 88, she decided it is now time to return to her heavenly home, to reunite with family she loved and knew, and ancestors she has looked forward to meeting and getting to know better.
She is proceeded in death by her parents, DeLawn and Bernice, and her sister Corrie. She is survived by her sister Margie, her five children and their spouses, her eighteen grandchildren, and her twenty-six great-grandchildren. She gloried in her posterity.
Colleen' s family are inspired by her example. We are happy she no longer suffers, and we will miss her dearly.
A private graveside service will be held for family at the Larkin Sunset Gardens.Grandma Cline's celebration of life was so nice. I hope she was happy with how it all turned out.
We had a viewing at the mortuary, and she looked beautiful! After that, we went to the cemetery for a graveside service. All of her children were able to be there
All of our kids and grandkids except Molly who was at camp were there.
Here's a picture of all her Grandkids and Great Grandkids who were there. Quite a crew.
She had asked that they sing I am a Child of God
She had a a beautiful casket and the most gorgeous flowers! The mortician told everyone to take the flowers, because the deer would eat them if they were left behind.
Krista's house is about 2 blocks away from the cemetery, and she was sweet enough to let us have a luncheon afterwards at her house. We had a yummy chicken salad on croissants, chips, watermelon, salads, cookies and brownies for dessert. It was so nice!
Sterling's daughter Misty loves cats almost as much as Sophie. They had fun playing with the neighbor's cat that comes to Krista's house all the time for some love.
It ended up being a perfect day. I can't think of anything that could have gone better.
We will sure miss Grandma Cline, she was an amazing lady.!
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