Cleo Fern (Richl) Brehm, 1931 - 2020

RICHL, BREHM, GURNSEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/4/2020 at 22:07:22

Sioux City Journal
1 November 2020

Cleo F. Brehm

Formerly Sioux City

Cleo Fern (Richl) Brehm, 88, formerly of Sioux City, passed away peacefully on Sept. 15, 2020, at Hillcrest Health in Omaha.

A celebration of life service for family and friends will be 2 p.m. Friday at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, 1801 Morningside Avenue. Visitation will be 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Cleo was born on Nov. 6, 1931, and raised in the Dakota County area. She was the second daughter of Al and Frances Richl. Cleo was a 1949 graduate of South Sioux City High School. She lived and worked most of her adult life in the Sioux City area.

She married Ed Gurnsey after graduation, and Robin, her only child, came from what was to be a brief union. Later she found the man that would become her forever love and in 1960, she married Jack Brehm from Hinton, Iowa. Their mutual love continued until Jack's death in 2004 but Cleo never forgot the joy that 44-year marriage brought to her life. Cleo's family will always remember her unconditional love for each of them and how much they enjoyed her spunky, fun loving personality. She will always be missed.

Cleo is survived by her daughter, Robin Gurnsey of Sioux City; a sister-in-law, Eileen Richl of Seattle, Wash.; nieces, Sandy (Keith) Klug of Omaha, and Salli (Dave) Roberts of Seattle; and nephews, Terry (Brenda) Sanford of Omaha, Scott (Lori) Sanford, Sacramento, Calif., Michael (Shirley) Richl of Seattle, and Tom Richl Jr. of Seattle. Survivors also include many grandnephews and nieces who knew and loved Cleo.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Al Richl and Frances Taggs; husband, Jack Brehm; sister, Darlene Sanford and her husband, John; and brother; Tom Richl.

The family has requested that memorials be directed to the Siouxland Humane Society.