CLIFFORD S. LOEW
Clifford S. Loew, 94, of Colfax died Wednesday, July 10, 2013, at Care Partners Assisted Living in Bloomer.
Clifford was born on April 20, 1919, the only son of Barney and Eleanor (Wolf) Loew and he always said “the best boy Pa & Ma had.” He was a highly intelligent, interesting, hard working & fun loving man. Clifford farmed in the Town of Howard, first with his parents and then on his own most of his life. He cared for his parents and with help from his sisters he was able to keep them in their home well into their old age.
Clifford was a life-long member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cooks Valley where he was baptized and confirmed. He graduated from 8th grade at St. John’s Catholic School. Clifford went on to attend Colfax High School where he graduated in three years.
From a young age, Clifford loved fast cars and a good fishing pole. As a young man during the depression he made money dealing in scrap iron and working as a hired hand, but made the most money trapping skunks with his friend and neighbor Clarence Geissler. During trapping season his Pa said he had to sleep in the barn but he didn’t care he was just happy making money. As he grew older, he was convinced that milking cows was not for him. The cows left and sheep, pigs, and chickens moved in. Since Clifford liked the junk business so well he built a shop and became the best blacksmith around. If he needed something he would make it and if that didn’t work, he invented something that would. Many farmers depended on Clifford to keep their machinery running. Many young men had a chance to learn and earn money working in his shop. For a time he worked as a mechanic for Ray Steinmetz Implement in Bloomer. From there he acquired one of the first self-propelled Minneapolis Moline combines in the area and did custom combining for many of his neighbors.
As Clifford grew older, the pigs and the sheep went. He built a retirement home on the farm and embarked on a new career. He became a commercial gardener and a professional toy maker. He kept his chickens so when you went to Clifford’s you could get fresh eggs, fruits, and vegetables. You never left his house empty handed and always stayed to long as there was so much to taste, see, and many good stories to hear.
Clifford was a very generous man. He served on the school board for many years at Colfax Schools. Clifford was also the clerk for the Town of Howard for several years. He spent countless hours making toys to donate to St. John’s auction which became a huge success and proved quite profitable for his church. He was also a generous man with his knowledge and made you feel like you could succeed in whatever you set out to do.
Clifford was an avid hunter/fisherman and reader which he was able to do into his old age. He enjoyed many hunting and fishing trips out west and to Canada & Alaska with his cousins, Art and Jacob. He also spent many hours in a boat fishing with Martin. Almost every Sunday he went fishing with the “gang” and then by afternoon they would head up to the river (22 Mile Ford) to join the families to clean, fry, and eat the fish. He could not believe there was anything better than a pan of fried fish and a cold beer. Well, maybe a pan of fried venison and a cold beer. If you needed a book you could find it in his library. If you especially needed a cookbook, he surely had it. You could learn to cook any critter that ran in the woods or any wild thing that grew in the ditches or swamps.
Clifford was always happy at work or play. He had good times with relatives and friends at the local taverns and really enjoyed giving Stacey a hard time. He never could turn down a piece of pie – a little lemon and a lot of meringue! Clifford was a good man and we will miss him dearly.
Clifford was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Dorothy Marsolek and Annetta Jenneman; and one nephew, Ron Fanetti; and five brothers-in-law, Jake Schindler, Sylvan Michels, Albert Jenneman, Adolph Fanetti, and Ansel Marsolek.
He is survived by three sisters, Alice Schindler, Bernadine Michels, and Vernetta Fanetti. Also surviving are nieces and nephews, Joe Michels, Helen Besst, Doris Aubart, Cheryl Helgeson, Marie Rodriguez, Dean Michels, Eugene Jenneman, Alan Jenneman, Monica Oehrinein, Marilyn Myers, and Janis Hable; and many other cousins, great nieces & nephews, relatives and many, many friends.
The family wishes to thank Joe Michels for taking such great care of Clifford these past few years. The family also wishes to thank the staff at Care Partners for all of their tender loving care.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 13, 2013, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cooks Valley with Father John Potaczek celebrating the Mass. Visitation will be held Friday from 4-8 p.m. at Schriver-Thompson Funeral Home in Bloomer and also one hour prior to Mass at church Saturday. The Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Schriver-Thompson Funeral Home & Cremation Services is serving the family. To express condolences online, please visit www.thompsonfuneralhome.com.