Clarence Moholt

Clarence Moholt joined his wife, Mavis, in the mansion in the sky on Friday, June 27, 2008. A tribute of our Dad's life will be held at the Chapel of the Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home in Glendive at 7:00 P.M., Monday, June 30, 2008. Please join us for a video and share your stories and memories. Funeral service will be at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Glendive with Pastor James Hageman officiating. Interment will be in the Dawson Memorial Cemetery in Glendive. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive is entrusted with arrangements. Dad was born in Glendive, Montana on September 16, 1925. He was the youngest of four children born to Ole and Mabel (Amundson) Moholt. They lived northeast of Lindsay and later moved to Glendive where he attended school. Dad served his country from 1943 until 1946. On April 27th, 1945 he married our Mom, Mavis Skogas. They were blessed with three daughters. Dad worked for N.P. Railroad and Hilgers until he formed a partnership with Mom's brother, John, to run the Skogas family farm. From 1958 until 1962 our family lived in Lindsay where Dad was employed at the Lindsay Elevator while he continued to farm. In 1968, Dad and Mom purchased the farm from Grandpa Skogas. They lived and farmed there until they sold it in 1984. At that time, they moved to Glendive and lived there until 1999 when they moved to Billings. Dad never passed up a card game or the chance to watch a rodeo. He always enjoyed the morning and afternoon coffee gatherings with his friends and family in Glendive. He was a very loving husband, father, grandpa, brother and uncle. "Words cannot express how much we miss you, Dad and Grandpa. You were an inspiration to all that knew you. You kept in mind what's most important in life—your loved ones. You will forever be in our hearts. We love you!" Dad became a member of our Savior Lutheran Church in 1948. He was a very devoted member and held many offices. Regardless of the weather Dad made sure our family attended church on Sundays. Clarence is survived by his daughters, Vonnie (Darrell) Robson of Billings, Lorna (Duane) Casey of Fort Worth, Texas and Vicki (Benny) Finnicum of Butte; his grandchildren Kim (Ron) Gunn, Tammy (Jeremy) Bock, Terry Casey, Shawn (Teresa) Casey, Randy (Jennifer) Casey, Sherri Bartholomew, Heidi (Matt) Chatriand, Scott (Melissa) Finnicum, Trevor Robson, Trent (Tammy) Robson, Tanner (Lindsay) Robson and 19 great grandchildren. His sister, Jane Brewster, of Ekalaka, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, also survive him. His wife, Mavis, his parents, Ole and Mabel, his siblings Odis and Emily and his father-in-law and mother-in-law Lars and Tillie Skogas preceded Clarence in death. We would like to thank the staff at Billings Health and Rehab-especially Unit 1 and The Rocky Mountain Hospice for all the kind and loving care they gave Dad. Celebrant Service: Celebrant: Eulogy "The Value of Life" By Doug Manning "The value of a life cannot be judged by the words that pass our lips. It isn’t what we say. Nor can the value be based on belief systems, accepted or rejected. It isn’t what we believe. The value cannot be determined by the work we do, no matter how successful. It isn't what we do. Our value is found in the person we become. It is 'who we are' that matters. The kindness that does not need to be turned on, And just seems to be there. The honesty that happens without thought, And is the expected response. The acceptance of others without conditions, And no one is surprised. The love that loves in spite of and through it all, And is as natural as breath. These are the true values of life." Albert Clarence Moholt had a kindness that was just there; he had an honesty about him; he accepted others for who they were; and he gave and received great love. Clarence knew the values of life, and he was a reflection of those values. Tonight we celebrate Clarence's life, we honor him with the stories and memories that are held dear to the hearts that love him, and we are thankful for his touch on our lives. Clarence's life began here in Glendive, and for the most part, was spent here and in the Lindsay area. After receiving his education, Clarence joined the Merchant Marines. One of the first things Clarence discovered was that he was prone to seasickness. Also, a story he shared about his time in the Merchant Marines was about having to take a swimming test. Now Clarence could swim, but one of the other men could not. They hatched up a scheme to switch identities, with Clarence taking the test for himself and for the other man. Their plan didn't work, and Clarence was never clear about the punishment. From the Merchant Marines, Clarence then went to the Army. His plan was to be a paratrooper, but he could never make that first jump, so he became regular Army. He served in the Philippines during World War II. It was while Clarence was on a leave that he and Mavis Skogas of Lindsay, were married by the local justice of the peace. They did not have much time together after the wedding as Clarence had to report back to duty. Upon his discharge from the Army, Clarence returned to Mavis and the Lindsay-Glendive area to begin their life together. After spending time working for the Northern Pacific Railroad and Hilger’s, Clarence formed a partnership with his brother-in-law and friend, John Skogas to run the Skogas family farm. Clarence was blessed to have his wife, Mavis, and three daughters, Vonnie, Lorna, and Vicki. Clarence was also blessed to work at what he loved, farming and cattle. Clarence enjoyed all aspects of farming, with his favorite time being the harvest. He seldom gave up his seat on the combine to anyone, preferring to have any helpers available driving the grain haulers. Clarence also raised Hereford cattle and after a hard days work, he enjoyed coming in and having a good steak. When Clarence had steak, his dog got steak, because Clarence knew the dog had worked hard also. Clarence enjoyed many things in life, and because he did, Clarence was fun and enjoyable to be around and do things with. First and foremost, he enjoyed his family and included them in all he did. He loved to play cards, and his favorite game was 'cards', any kind of cards. He would make up his own rules to Hearts, and was very competitive when playing. Clarence was tough to beat because as his daughter Vicki states, he could count cards and knew what had been played and what was left in the deck. Clarence loved rodeos. His favorite event was bull riding and if there was a rodeo to watch or go to, Clarence would make time to see it. For Clarence, church became very important in his life. He was an active member of Our Savior Lutheran Church. You could count on seeing Clarence and his family at the Sunday service, no matter the weather. Clarence would drive through blizzards when there was little to no visibility, hanging his head out the window to see the road and get to the Sunday service. Clarence was a doting husband to Mavis, and in her later years when Mavis had health issues, Clarence was a wonderful caregiver. As a father, Clarence filled his childrens’ lives with love, taught by example, and along with the love, he gave his girls that most precious of commodities, his time. Clarence did many things with his children right up through their adult lives. The love they shared, the life lessons they learned from their father, and the fun they had together are priceless. As a grandfather, Clarence was adored by his grandchildren. He had that wonderful talent of making each of them feel special, of making each of them feel important. Clarence had a gentleness and happy spirit that children are drawn to. In 2005, Clarence’s family held an 80th birthday celebration for him. When invitations were sent out, included was stationary with Clarence’s picture on it asking each person to write something about Clarence or a memory they had of him. A memory book was made up for Clarence from all the letters that were returned. Over 50 letters were written. The book also included the handprints of the great-grandchildren who were not old enough to write. The following are exerpts from Clarence’s memory book. Vonnie's letter included this memory: "Christmas was always such a special time in our lives. Even now it doesn't seem right not to go to church on Christmas Eve. Remember the year we were riding around and saw Santa in the garage? We couldn’t get home fast enough!" Vonnie also mentions Clarence trying, key word is trying, to teach her to swim. Other memories are of skating on Lindsay dam, going each year to Great Falls to visit Grandma Moholt in October over teacher's convention, and driving a stick shift '58 Ford. Vonnie's closes her letter with these words, "I am so glad you and Mom moved to Billings to live close to us! It is nice to pick up the phone and say 'do you want to go for supper.' Thank you, Dad for always being there for us…I love you, Vonnie." Lorna writes this to her father: "You set examples for me to follow, rather than strict rules to rebel against…My special memories are working with you on the farm. You would make sure we had a good time …You taught me not to hurt others feelings by eating two suppers, one that Grandma Skogas made and Mom’s. They were both really good cooks but you must have been stuffed!…You taught me to do a job right the first time when you made Vonnie and me re-wash the dishes…You were always so patient, not many dads would take four women shopping and never complain. We would fill your arms with our special purchases, you would take them out to the car and come back for more." Lorna goes on to mention the fun card games and closes her letter to her father with these words, "I want to thank you for all you have done for me…I love you, Lorna" Vicki tells her father: "You always filled our home with 'LOVE.'" Vicki always enjoyed sitting on her dad's lap, whether it was when driving or after a meal. Vicki enjoyed going to church as a family and remembers Clarence going to Sunday school with her because she was afraid. Vicki always preferred working outside to helping in the house, and she and her father shared a special love of tractors. She too mentions the cards and the fun they had. Vicki writes that "us girls were always taught right from wrong and good morals." She goes on to say "thanks for being such a great person and Dad…Love, Vicki" Clarence's son-in-law Darrell Robson has a memory of Clarence's green Chevrolet being stolen or borrowed, whichever side of the memory you happen to be on. The car was parked in the driveway of the elevator house in Lindsay. With some help, the car moved around the corner and down the street. It was harvest season, and Clarence was sure "those darned custom combiners took it." Darrell is sure Clarence was relieved to find it just around the corner. Darrell ends his letter saying, Clarence "always has a smile or a kind word for you, no matter what the situation may be. I'll always cherish my relationship with him… Son-in-law Duane Casey's letter to Clarence also includes a vehicle memory, only this vehicle ended up in Fort Peck Lake. All Clarence said was "Did anyone get hurt?" Duane appreciated how considerate Clarence was and states that Clarence will always be in his heart. Son-in-law Benny Finnicum writes of memories of riding 3 wheelers, harvesting, and branding. Benny also writes, "You and Mavis did a stellar job of raising your girls and I am so blessed to share my life with Vicki. She is the fine wife and mother that she is because of the loving, caring and spiritual guidance her mother and you gave her as a child. I also want to thank you for always being concerned about Vicki and I through the years, lending us a vehicle, tools or whatever without even being asked." Granddaughter Kim says to her Papa: "I always had fun teasing you and you teasing me. I used to like to tickle you since your feet were so ticklish. There is only one time I ever remember you being speechless. It was on my wedding day and Ron and I were getting ready to leave for our honeymoon. You called me over to you and you said, 'Kimmy, do you know about the birds and the bees?' I sat down on your lap and said 'No, Papa, will you tell me?' You never did tell me." Kim finishes with this statement: "Papa, I think that you are the greatest grandpa around. You are always lots of fun and I've always known that you would do anything for me. I love you very much…Love, Kim" Granddaughter Tammy has memories of watching "Nashville Now" with Clarence, playing pitch and usually getting beat, learning some family history while looking at photo albums, visiting and sharing popcorn, going to church and out to dinner. Tammy cherishes these attributes about her Papa: he always had a smile to share, he would look at the bright side of things, he put others first, he was wise, he seldom complained about anything except maybe on cleaning days, he had a great sense of humor and was the most loving and gentle man she has ever known. Tammy closes with the words, "I am so proud to call you my Grandpa! Love you bunches, Tammy Grandson Terry listed several memories, including: "The shop where he would let us play with hammers, nails, and even spray paint. He taught me how to talk to the Highway Patrol as he was getting another $5.00 speeding ticket.”" "We would go to auctions and bid on things I thought he needed." Grandson Shawn shares these thoughts of his Grandpa: "The times you and I went to McDonald's and got ice cream. It was always special to me when I would get to be alone with my Grandpa…Thanks for everything that you have done for me; I could not ask for a better Grandpa, friend and role model…Love Shawn." "The time I had the most fun with my Grandpa Moholt; by Randy…” Randy enjoyed the summer when he and his brother Shawn got to stay longer with their grandparents after his parents went back to Minnesota. It was over the 4th of July and they took in the parade and bought lots of fireworks. There was swimming and meeting lots of people including second cousins, playing pool, and a first airplane ride back home. That was Randy's best summer with his grandpa. Granddaughter Sherri had these words for her Grandpa: "Although we have always been miles apart, you are on my mind and in my heart. You have always made me feel very special and loved… I only wish we could hang out and see each other more. I Love You!…Sherri Granddaughter Heidi remembers the fun of riding 3 wheelers and going out to the fields. She also recalls going shopping with her grandfather, especially the time she slammed her fingers in the Bronco door. That got her a new Barbie doll that came with make-up and everything. Heidi knew her grandpa spoiled her and she loved him for that. Grandson Scott writes: "I left some of my toys in Glendive so they would be there when I got to visit again. When Grandpa saw my toys sitting there shortly after we left, he thought I had forgotten them. He tried to catch us on the highway but was was unable to, because of the highway patrol who pulled him over. If I remember right, he got a pretty healthy speeding ticket out of the deal. Granddaughter-in-law Teresa thanks Clarence for welcoming her into the family and making her feel so comfortable right from the start. Teresa tells Clarence, "You are an inspiration for your kindness and loving spirit." Great-grandson Matthew remembers Clarence helping him write a history paper on JFK. Grandpa also helped Matthew learn to ride a scooter. Great-grandson David Gunn said this to Clarence: "I love when you come and play cards with me. It is so much fun when you and I go out for lunch." Great-granddaughter Rachel says: "I have so much fun teasing you and pretending I'm not going to give you a kiss. Thank you for playing with me when I was little." Great-granddaughter Abby liked to give Clarence kisses and hugs. Clarence's sister, Jane Brewster, recalls her youngest brother being "very tender hearted and never mean." Siblings often to try to provoke each other and Clarence's family was no different. Jane tells the story of when her brother and sister were making candy and they would not let Clarence in the house. It was wintertime and Clarence got "provoked". He went to the garage and got an axe and started to chop down the back door. They decided to let him in. But for the most part, Jane says Clarence would mind his folks, do his chores and was a "sweet kid." For Clarence, his coffee sessions with friends were an important part of his daily routine. He loved visiting and being social. Some special people he and Mavis spent a great deal of time with were Dick and Betty Ulrich. Their memories of spending time with Clarence and Mavis were of going to out of town rodeos, auctions, and brandings. One memorable trip was to Bismarck to a rodeo. At the hotel, Clarence went down to the lobby and shortly thereafter, the hotel smoke alarms began to go off. There was Clarence, standing by the microwave, burnt popcorn in hand. There was no popcorn that evening, but there were plenty of laughs. Yes, as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, Clarence significantly touched those around him. He was an important person to many people and as we celebrate his life, we also know Clarence will be greatly missed. At this time, Clarence's granddaughter Tammy Bock has some special words for us about her grandfather. When Tammy is finished, if you have something about Clarence you would like to share, please come forward to do so. Reading: Tammy Bock & sharing Closing: The family has placed some items with Clarence and near his casket that are special to Clarence and to their memory of him. Near the casket is a pair of boots with wheat in them. Clarence's casket also has the wheat corner pieces. The display of farm toys honors his love of farming and machinery. The Hereford sweater was given to him by Mavis, and he always loved the "retired farmer" jacket. In the drawer of his casket is an old photo of Our Savior Lutheran Church, a cross, a deck of cards, and a small Hereford calf. The small American flag was given to Clarence when he was in the nursing home and he displayed it proudly in his room. Tomorrow after Pastor Hageman's committal service, the family will be doing a couple of special things as they say good-bye to Clarence. Soil from his farm at Lindsay will be sprinkled around his grave so he will always have a little bit of home to rest in. They will also be leaving pennies at Clarence's grave to signify that they are thinking of him. As they go about their lives, when they happen to find a penny on the ground or in an unexpected place, these "pennies from heaven" will remind them of Clarence and that he is thinking of them and sending his love and kisses their way. Vonnie, Lorna, Vicki and family: You all have such a great love of Clarence and seem so proud to have had him in your lives that his death surely leaves a hole in your hearts. Clarence was a presence in your lives and a reminder of the joys life can hold. As you grieve for him, remember that he was also a presence in the lives of his many friends and a presence in his church and community and we too will feel his absence. We cannot take your grief from you, but we grieve with you and for you. And weren’t we all lucky to have had Clarence grace our lives? For those of you here tonite, please continue to tell Clarence's story and share your memories with the family. Let them know that you too will always remember Clarence. Clarence Moholt will be alive as long as he is remembered. The stories his life created will keep his memories and his presence alive long into future generations. Clarence loved to listen to music of the Gackle family of Circle, MT. Our closing song will be their version of "Amazing Grace". Let us bow our heads and join the family in saying "The Lord’s Prayer" followed by the Gackle's "Amazing Grace." Clarence Moholt Tribute Video from Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home on Vimeo.

Clarence Moholt

September 16, 1925 - July 1, 2008

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Clarence Moholt

September 16, 1925 - July 1, 2008

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

365 Days of Grief Support