Cleo Kathryn Stewart

Cleo Kathryn Stewart (Sample), age 89, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, July 25, 2024. She was a resident of New Mexico since moving from Indiana in 1958. She was a member of St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church. She is preceded in death by her husband, Charles E. Stewart; her son Michael E. Stewart; her great-grandson Stephen Michael Fincher; her mother and father Alverta and Glenn Sample and brothers and sisters, Donald Sample, Marion Sample, Glenn Richard (Rick) Sample, June Stowers, Evelyn Sample, and Roberta (Bobbie) Reynolds. Cleo is survived by her daughter Glenna and husband Rick Jaramillo; her son Charles Stewart, Jr., and husband Jon Miller; daughter in law Connie Stewart; granddaughters; Tessa Jaramillo, Kylee Jaramillo and husband Charlie Baggerley, and Kristin and husband Scott Fincher; 10 great grandchildren; sister Vickie and husband Steve Blair and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

For much of her life she was involved in childcare. She worked for and owned Albuquerque Nursery School for several years sharing her abundant love with all the kids she cared for. After leaving the nursery school she even kept several of the children in her own home. She then worked for years with Charles Kruger Candy Broker, everyone always looked forward to the free samples she would bring home. When retirement wasn’t enough, she took a job with Lori’s Gift Shop working primarily at the Lovelace Hospital on Gibson. She made lifelong friends with several of the doctors who continued to follow her care up until she was placed on hospice in May 2024. The family would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Jorge Sedas, Dr. Charles Kim, and Dr. Stephanie Parks among the many other medical professionals who cared for her with such great compassion.

Family was very important to Cleo. She worked hard to ensure everyone knew how much she loved them. Her children, Glenna and Charley, remember that growing up our house was usually filled with not just her own kids but often our cousins and even the neighborhood kids too. Easily her greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She had a gentle and loving way with each of them and they brought so much comfort and love to her, even as her health began to decline. 

Services will be held on Thursday, August 1, 2024 at 10:30 AM at Daniels Family Funeral Home, Wyoming Chapel. Pallbearers will be Rick Jaramillo, Charles Stewart, Jr., Jon Miller, Kylee Jaramillo, Charles Michael Lindley, and Kevin Reynolds. Interment will follow at Sandia Memory Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association or the Dementia Society of America.