On June 29, 2025, the world lost a wonderful man. Rufus “Sonny” McCleskey was born on April 3, 1942, to Curtis and Estelle McCleskey in Ranger, Texas, the second of four children. The family moved to Kelso, Washington, in the late 1940s.
Starting at the age of 14, he would spend summers working the fields in Yakima with his dad. As summer came to an end, he would drive himself home to start school in the fall. After the passing of his father at a young age, Sonny continued to work throughout high school to help his mom support her young family.
While working as an usher at the Kelso Theatre, he met Carol Peterson in 1960, and they only had eyes for each other from that day forward. He graduated from Kelso High School in 1960. Shortly after graduation, he started working at Longview Fibre as a papermaker, where he remained for 44 years.
He married Carol on Aug. 3, 1963, and soon welcomed a son, Curtis, and a daughter, Cindy. He would often work two jobs to support his young family, allowing Carol to stay home with the babies. In August 1969, they moved into their first home in Winlock and shortly after welcomed their third child, Jennifer.
He helped coach softball and baseball, and as a member of the Jaycees, he played an integral role in building Winolequa Park in Winlock. He meticulously stenciled and hand-painted the signs that lined the outfield of the original field. His children and grandchildren enjoyed playing on those fields for years to come.
For many years, he enjoyed weeklong elk hunting trips with his son, sons-in-law, and close friends. The stories that came from those trips are certainly not for children’s ears! In 1977, he and Carol purchased a 12-acre plot of land and, after many years of sacrifice and hard work, built their dream home on that land in 1998.
After his retirement in 2004, they enjoyed several years of “snowbirding” to Yuma. These trips were only a few months in the winter, as they both loved their home and family too much to be gone any longer. When the Yuma trips came to an end, they still enjoyed years of camping, with their favorite places being the beach and Riffe Lake. Some of his children’s fondest memories growing up were of those camping trips. Later, as a grandpa, he created similar memories with his grandkids.
Sonny was preceded in death by his parents, Curtis and Estelle; brother, Noble; sisters, Judy and Ann; and granddaughter, Erin. He is survived by his wife, Carol, of 62 years; son, Curtis; daughters, Cindy (Shawn) O’Brien and Jennifer (Scott) Weinert; 13 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
He had a work ethic like no other, and he instilled this in his children. Anyone who knew him knew that he was not as gruff as he often appeared. His sarcasm and sense of humor were unmatched. If you were lucky enough to be loved by him, you knew that his love was quiet yet so powerful, and his passing will forever leave a hole in our hearts.
An open house celebration of life will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Winlock Senior Center, 119 SW Kerron St., in Winlock. All who loved him are welcome to attend.
