Cleo Ray Barrett

Cleo Ray Barrett, the son of Merlin Earl and Lucille Pearl (Rees) Barrett, was born August 20, 1955, in Audubon, Iowa and died February 26, 2018, at the Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids, Iowa at the age of 62 years, 6 months, and 6 days.
Cleo was baptized and confirmed at the First United Methodist Church in Audubon, Iowa. He attended the Audubon Community Schools graduating with the High School Class of 1973. Cleo enlisted in the U.S. Army. During his tour he served in Germany. He was honorably discharged and returned to the States.
Cleo and Therese Isom became a family, lived in Minnesota for many years, and were blessed with three children Tucker, Morgan, and Taylor. Along with several friends, Cleo helped to develop a water resistant covering for walls and became a company known as Poly Wall. He worked with the company for several years then sold his interest in the company. Cleo then worked construction jobs, bar tended, and various other jobs over the years. He lived in Florida, Wisconsin, Reno, Washington, and Kansas. Cleo rode his bicycle from the Florida Keys up to the Wisconsin Dells where he was employed as a bartender. He returned to Audubon and was employed as the Can Redemption Manager for Bohlmann and Son Sanitation until he retired in August of 2017.
Cleo enjoyed watching TV, especially the old westerns, Andy Griffith, M.A.S.H. and other classic shows. He enjoyed traveling and had a passion for bike riding. Over the years he rode his bicycle pretty much across the U.S. He built a raft to float down the Mississippi River from the head waters to the gulf. He began the journey but was unable to complete the trip because the authorities would not allow him to enter the locks at the dam and then ended up capsizing the raft. He was a nature lover, a trait he developed when he was young working on the family farm. Cleo loved to play cribbage and pool. He helped to create pool tournaments and poker runs while living in Audubon. He really enjoyed family reunions on the Sheeder/Rees side of the family. Cleo was a free spirit and enjoyed life and will be missed by his family and many friends.
Preceding him in death were his parents and his two brothers Jerry and Earl Barrett.
Survivors include his children Tucker Lawrence Barrett of Arizona, Morgan Lucille Barrett of St. Peter, Minnesota, and Taylor Merlin Barrett and his fiancée Larissa Olander of Virginia; his sisters Marlene and husband Ron Jensen of Rochester, Minnesota, and Joann Albertsen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; nieces, nephews other relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be conducted by Pastor Doug Opp on Saturday, March 10, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa. The family will meet with friends Saturday morning from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. A private family interment of the cremains will be at a later date.