Walter O’Neal “Chief” Cleaveland, 93, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, at WellStar West Georgia Medical Center. He had been a long term resident at Florence Hand Home since January 2018. Walter was born at home in Troup County, Georgia, on Oct. 13, 1925, to the late Charles Leon Cleaveland and Mary Paul Smith Cleaveland, the youngest of four children. He was preceded in death by his siblings Charles Leon Cleaveland Jr, Louise Cleaveland Horni and Robert Wesley “Bill” Cleaveland.

He was a WWII Army veteran and served in the Georgia National Guard for several years after he returned home. On July 25, 1946, Walter married Jewell V. Moody, a marriage that lasted 62.5 years until her death Feb. 25, 2010. Together, they worked with numerous young people in the Methodist Church for many years. Following his retirement from Visqueen, they would spend three to six months in their camper in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. A member of First United Methodist Church of Pine Mountain, he attended Maggie Valley United Methodist Church while camping.

After his wife’s death, he reconnected with childhood friend, Julia Corless Swetnam, and they entered into a religious commitment on Aug. 14, 2010, which lasted until her death April 21, 2014. They enjoyed traveling between his and her homes in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Surviving Walter O. Cleaveland are niecesand nephews, Gayle C. O’Neal, Wesley (Pam) Cleaveland, Wa lter R. (Cindy) Cleaveland, Beverly C (Marvin) Garner, and Edward Horni. Also Julia’s daughter, Nancy Williams (Patrick) Sieverts.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Walter will be held on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Pine Mountain, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to First United Methodist Church, Pine Mountain, Georgia; Maggie Valley United Methodist Church, Maggie Valley, North Carolina or an organization of your choice.