J.C. Clemmer

J.C. Clemmer, 93, peacefully passed away at his home Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Tuesday, March 5, at the Assembly of God Church in Glasgow, Mont. Burial will follow in the Highland Cemetery in Glasgow.

He was born at home to Parker Estle and Essie Mildred (Beatty) Clemmer on Sept. 9, 1925. He was the third of seven children. J.C.’s mother died when he was 10. He received his education in schools at Reed and Altus, Oka. Much of his learning was self-taught as he had to quit school and go to work to help make it easier for his father to raise the younger Clemmers.

As a teenager, J.C. had already begun making a living for himself. He followed the combine harvest north from Oklahoma. He was working in Wyoming and not yet 18 when World War II began. As soon as he was old enough, he enlisted in the Navy Seabees at Cheyenne in 1943. J.C. was stationed at Saipan during the war. He was honorably discharged in 1946. Not long after that, he came to Montana and worked at a number of places. He went to Oregon and worked for a while and then came back to Montana. He seemed to prefer the Hinsdale, Mont. area.

He met Jean Wessler at the Rainbow Room in Hinsdale on Jan. 4, 1953. He was there for a bite to eat. Jean had just returned from Christmas vacation and had also gone there to have something to eat. J.C. and Jean were married six months to the day they met, July 4, 1953. Shortly afterwards, they went to Lebanon, Ore., where his family had relocated from Oklahoma. After six months, the cloudy and rainy weather got the best of them and Montana called them back. They have made their home in Glasgow since February of 1954. Jean died Nov. 15, 2008. Jean and J.C. were married for over 55 years. They had three children: Roberta “Bobbie,” Wanda and Paul.

J.C. worked for the State Highway Department from June 1, 1956 to Jan. 4, 1991. He used to help family and friends on their ranch for years during his off time. He was the family fix-it man. If he couldn’t fix it, it was broken beyond repair.

He was preceded in death by his wife Jean; his parents; two sisters, Mildred Zuhlke and Ristora Morris; and one brother, Melvin Clemmer.

He is survived by two daughters, Roberta (Richard) Britzman and Wanda Clemmer; one son, Paul Clemmer; seven grandchildren, Stacy (Brent) Joseph, John (Katie) Britzman, Janeen Britzman, Carla (Ricci) Olson, and Hannah, Wyatt, and Zane Clemmer; nine great-grandchildren, Leinie Hughes, Gabriel Hughes, Deshawn Joseph, Clair Britzman, Kendal Britzman, Paityn Britzman, Chezney Olson, Lakelyn Olson and Kreed Olson; one sister, Ellen Rogers; two brothers, Ernest Clemmer and Calvin Clemmer; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Condolences may be left for the family at bellmortuarymontana.com.