Alabama Jim's Café cook, Cheree Cluff, and waitress Jan Cluff, were taken from us on Jan. 2, 2009.
Cheree was born Oct. 21, 1984, to Harvey Cluff and Dianne Wolfe Cluff, in Stone, Idaho. Cheree loved learning and school where she excelled as a straight 'A' student. She loved to compose music, sing and dance. Cheree was a gifted artist and athlete. She was very energetic—her motto was "a girl's just gotta have fun." She loved to baby-sit her brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and the little neighbor boys. She enjoyed camping and fishing with her best friend and love, Geordie Oates. She was easy to get along with and was a very caring person. She loved to cook and dreamed of purchasing the restaurant as a family business. Cheree was a sweetheart who gave light and love to everyone.
Jan was born Nov. 1, 1992, (All Saints Day) in Snowville Flats, Utah. She was shy, conscientious, humorous, perceptive and goal oriented. She was a scrapbook junkie. She shared the same love for school and learning and artistic talents as Cheree. She had dignity and loved and respected herself and others. She loved to snowboard with her sisters. Her favorite entertainment was movies. She really wanted to go to church and she loved her teachers. Her dream was to be a cheerleader and she indeed had the gift to cheer up everyone.
They are survived by their baby sister, Shannon; older sisters, Angela and Wendee; brothers, Robert (Bobby), John and Ethan; and parents. Cheree is also survived by the love of her life, Geordie Oates of Parkdale, Ore.
Surviving relatives of the girls are parents Harvey Cluff of Elko, Nev., and Dianne Cluff of Parkdale, Ore.; sisters, Shannon Cluff of Parkdale, Ore.; Angela (Tom Perry) of Garland, Utah, with Brandon, Justin, Lance, Ashley, Jaden, Katie and Sarah; Wendee (Jason Warr) of Malta, Idaho, with Kaleb and Kassie; brothers, Robert and John Cluff of Darby, Mont., and Ethan Cluff of Elko, Nev.; and aunts and uncles that include Dolores and George McClain of Philipsburg, Mont., with cousins Dee, George, Becky and Forest; Merrilan and Harold Simper of Grand View, Idaho, with cousins Kelly, Patra, Nathan, Tiffany, Jolene, Melanie, Brian and Porter; John and Lorene Wolfe of Anaconda, Mont., with cousins Shane, Bryan, Melissa, David, Laura and Julie; Randy Wolfe of Los Angeles, Calif.; Charolette and James Given of Anaconda, Mont., with cousins David, Wayne, Brent, Bryce and Jamie; Marylyn and Clyde Biggs of Orem, Utah, with cousins Warren, Mark, Brad, Scott and Kelly; Sharon and Darwin Johnson of Peoria, Ariz., with cousins Kevin, Julie, Keith, Steven, Tyler and Brian; Larry and Denise Cluff with cousins Travis, Ryan and Alisha; and Susanne and Randy Shinkle with cousins Kari, Danielle and Nikki.
A funeral service to mourn the passing and celebrate the lives of Cheree and Jan is planned for 2 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 7, at the Hood River Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (18th Street and May Street). Services will be led by Bishop Gary Hornbeck of the Hood River Ward and Bishop John Wolfe, Cheree and Jan's uncle. Graveside rites will follow at the Parkdale Cemetery as soon as the weather permits. The family suggests that donations be made to the Cluff Memorial Fund and sent care of Anderson's.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031. Please visit their Web site to sign the family guest book, www.andersonstributecenter.com
