Cecil Paul Horne

Cecil Paul Horne

Cedar Rapids

Cecil Paul Horne, 80, of Cedar Rapids was born on April 7, 1943, and moved to Heaven way too early, surrounded by family, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at The Gardens of Cedar Rapids. Cecil was under the care of St. Croix Hospice following a 4.5 year courageously fought battle with leukemia.

A visitation will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories from 9:30 to 11 a.m., Saturday, March 9, 2024. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Cecil was born and lived in Carroll, Iowa, until the family moved to Cedar Rapids for his father’s job. Cecil stayed in Carroll with his grandmother until the end of the school semester and then, at age 11, took the train to join his family in Cedar Rapids.

Cecil had a top-notch work ethic and made friends, some life-long, at the jobs he had over his lifetime. He started as a clerk at Sun Mart and worked his way to Produce Manager and worked at every Sun Mart in Cedar Rapids and Marion. Cecil followed Sun Mart with 28 years at LeFebure until they moved production out of Iowa, then worked at Johnson Gas, Sign Productions, Van Meter and even driving cars for Dave Wright. He made friends and had fun stories to tell about each adventure.

Cecil had many hobbies over the years including coin collecting, golf, bowling, and crossword/Sudoku puzzles. He enjoyed gardening – loved home-grown tomatoes – and even had a small tilling business for a while. He loved the Iowa Hawkeyes and enjoyed collecting Hawkeye items. He often sported Iowa shirts, hats, coats and even suspenders.

Cecil attended Jefferson High School where he met his future wife, Carol Thompson, by the end of his senior year; they married on January 12, 1964, during a blizzard, and they just celebrated their 60th anniversary on January 12, 2024, again during a blizzard. Together they enjoyed hosting and attending parties, playing cards, and traveling in their retirement years. They have two daughters: Terri and Steff.

To know Cecil was to love Cecil. He made an impression and impact on everyone he met and was the perfect example of loving sacrificially. He selflessly cared for Carol both at home and then at The Gardens Assisted Living before having to move to long-term care himself.

Cecil was preceded in death by his parents, Pauline & Cecil F Horne, and in-laws Claire Thompson and Ada Thompson-Rogers. He leaves behind his wife, Carol; daughters, Terri (Brad) Keeney of Oklahoma and Steff (Jim) Wilkinson of Vinton; granddaughter, Kassi Keeney of Colorado and grandson, Kyle Wilkinson of Vinton; brother, Robert (Gail) Horne and sister, Barb (Frank) Kubovec all of Cedar Rapids, as well as nieces, nephews and countless friends and neighbors.

Cecil’s family would like to thank his doctors for working so hard to find treatments, the nurses and staff who lovingly cared for him, the staff at The Gardens and the hospice team who made sure he was comfortable and loved on.

Terri and Steff would like everyone to know that Cecil was the best dad, greatest example of selflessness and all-around best man that they’ve ever known, they are so grateful to have had him for a dad.

Memorial donations can be made to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.