Cleo (Iddins) Chonko

Reidsville

Cleo "Mata" Chonko, 91 years young passed away peacfully in her sleep on Saturday, September 2, 2017 at North Springs Assisted Living. She was born in Reidsville on April 28, 1926 to the late Caleb and Sadie Iddins. She was a graduate of Georgia Baptist School of Nursing and was employed at Athens General Hospital and Emory. She also taught for 14 years at Atlanta Area Tech Institute and Swainsboro Tech Institute. When she taught nursing she always had a 100% passing rate for boards. She was an advocate for nursing and pushed her students to excel not just in nursing, but in life. She was the director of nursing at Meadows Memorial Hospital in Vidalia and was a member of the US Cadet Nurse Corps of 1944. Mrs. Cleo was a member of Reidsville United Methodist Church, the Tattnall Travelers, Reidsville Garden Club, and an Auxiliary Hospital Volunteer. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Chonko; son, Mike Chonko; sister, Pauline I. Paul.

She is survived by her grandchildren, Brandon (Nadia) Chonko and Nick (Emily) Chonko; great-grandchildren, Vada Leigh Chonko, Michael Timothy Chonko, Nicholas Cru, Cason Avery Chonko and Landry Grace Chonko; brothers, Vernon Iddins and Ron Iddins; daughter-in-law, Scotti Douglas.

She was "Tough as they come, yet sweet to the bone"

Memorial services will be conducted 2:00pm Sunday, October 8, 2017 at Reidsville United Methodist Church. Inurnment will follow at Reidsville City Cemetery.

Memorial may be given to the Reidsville United Methodist Church or Reidsville Garden Club

Low Country Cremation and Burial is serving the Chonko family. www.bradleybanderson.com