When friend and neighbor Cleo Hengstebeck turned 99 on May 19th, 2020, Mexico as well as most of the world was exercising sheltering-in-place. This did not deter her many friends from staging a drive-by celebration with 35 cars participating. Sadly, she passed away two weeks later on June 4, exactly 6 months after the death of her husband John Wester, who died at the age of 96.
When they married a few years ago, John, already in his nineties admitted he was marrying “an older woman.” When they applied for their marriage license, they were told they were the oldest people to ever apply for a wedding license in the state of Texas and were granted the license without a fee. R.I.P. Cleo and John. You were both well-loved.
Here are a few photos of Cleo and the decorated cars full of friends that drove by her house on her birthday. Click on photos to enlarge.
Posted for Friday Fun Memorials
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
A graceful lady.
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She was beautiful, funny, smart and mobile until the end. A pattern for us all. When first one husband and then another died, her children wanted her to come back to the states, but she stayed on here in Mexico and lived just three houses down from me in a huge beautiful house with a live-in male cook and a housekeeper who did not live in.
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She loved a good life and I think that she enjoyed her life!
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I know she did. I need to write more about her..She and John both had remarkable lives.
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How inspiring
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She was indeed. To the end. Perky as a chickadee.
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Wow, this post brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing š
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Mine, too. I have many John stories to tell as I have known him for 19 years. Cleo is a very special woman I’ve gotten to know in the past 4.
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How very nice of everyone to celebrate her birthday in a drive by.. Very sad that she past so soon afterward.
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what a delightful lady and a memorable celebration … she sounds like a super special lady!
I have a feeling she passed with a smile on her face … thanks for sharing Judy!
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What a fun tribute to a spunky lady!
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They were so cute and loving couples ā£ļø
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They were..His fourth wife. He kept outliving the younger wives, he once told me, so decided to try out one older than him. It worked!!
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Ya..!!!
Everyone deserves a man like him in their life ā£ļø
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Ah she’s so sweet and doesn’t look anything like 99 years old. I haven’t seen her with the walker. She’s amazing. I’m so glad I got to meet her and John and hear some stories and meet her daughter when I was there. What a wonderful, long, productive life!
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Thatās a wonderful story, Judy. She looked terrific for someone in her 80s! 99 and a relative newlywed. I love to hear of old love.
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They captured everyone’s imagination.. just a wonderful love story…
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My goodness she was gorgeous. Were you holding the 99 balloon sign?
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