Cleo Stanford Seelinger - of Austin, Texas, passed away unexpectedly April 10, 2000, while recovering from surgery. Cleo was born in Flora, Illinois, on Austin 27, 1913, to Allen G. Stanford and Kate Nagel Stanford. She earned her teacher's certificate from Illinois State Teachers' College in Charleston. Cleo received her B.A. in mathematics from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, while living there with relatives, the Clawsons. After returning to the United States she was awarded an M.A. in mathematics by the University of Illinois in 1940. Cleo immediately moved to Colombia, to marry Adoph Louis Seelinger, of Mexia, Texas, whom she had met in Beirut and who was a pipeline superintendent for several oil companies. They lived for seven years in Cucuta, Colombia, where their two daughters were born. In 1947, they moved to Anaco, Venezuela, where their son was born, and then to the capital, Caracas, for two years. Finally, they spent one year in Tripoli, Libya, continuing Adolph's career with Mobil Oil. Upon Adolph's death in 1959, Cleo moved the family to Austin, which she found to be a very congenial place to raise three children. She quickly became actively involved in volunteer service for several organizations, most importantly as a charter member of the International Hospitality Committee. She gave many hours every week to helping the international student community at the University of Texas feel comfortable in the community. In that capacity, she was honored as a Yellow Rose of Texas in 1994, and was honored by the University for 35 years of volunteer service. Not long after moving to Austin, Cleo was one of the organizers of the Anaco Reunion, a yearly gathering of oil company friends from Venezuela and other parts of the world. She hosted these reunions in Austin for more than 35 years, and was awarded another Yellow Rose of Texas in 1996, by her reunion friends. Because of her longtime interest in Latin American culture, in 1960, Cleo joined the Austin Table of the Pan American Round Table. Over the years she held not only every office in the local Table, but also served as State Director, and was honored as a Lifetime Honorary Member Plenipotentiary of the PART in 1993. When she moved to Austin, Cleo joined Tarrytown Methodist Church, and was a faithful member for the rest of her life. During her 40 years there, she served on the Wesley Foundation and participated in the Dorcas Class. In addition, she was for some years a member of the women's organization Altrusa. Cleo was a warm, hospitable person who traveled the world, was fascinated by foreign cultures and charmed by the folks whose paths she crossed. She also enjoyed the natural world and loved her garden. Cleo is survived by her children and their spouses: Louise S. Thompson and her husband, William, Evelyn S. Madsen and her husband, David, and Terry Seelinger and his wife, Nancy Bernstein; and her grandchildren, Andy and Julie Thompson and Ilana and Ari Bernstein Seelinger. She is also survived by her sister, Lela Hubble and brother, Marvin Stanford. Visitation will be Thursday, April 13, 2000, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Weed- Corley-Fish Funeral Home. The funeral service will be at 3:00 p.m. Friday, April 14, 2000, at Tarrytown United Methodist Church at 2601 Exposition Boulevard, and graveside services will take place at noon on Saturday, April 15, 2000, in Mexia. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in memory of Cleo be sent to the Pan American Round Table Scholarship Endowment Fund, 1111 Elm Street, Austin 78703; or to the Seelinger Scholarship, International Hospitality Council, 6708 Rustling Oaks Trail, Austin 78759. Cleo's family and her many friends will always feel privileged to have had her generosity and love in their lives. We'll miss her always. Arrangements by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 North Lamar, 452-8811.