Clarence Beisel

Our dear Dad, Grandpa, and Great-Grandpa, Clarence Beisel, age 104, went to be with the Lord on Friday, February 25, 2022 at the Meadows, Swift Current, SK.  

Clarence was born September 18, 1917 to Andrew & Molly Beisel on the family farm in the Beaver Flat District, SK, where he grew up with his six brothers and sisters. He began his farming life as a young man, working with his Dad in the Beaver Flat area. Clarence married Emma Berndt in 1940. Together, they worked very hard — first, on the farm in the Rush Lake area, SK then, buying their own farm at Beaver Flat in 1944. Clarence & Emma lived and farmed there, growing grain, raising pigs and chickens, milking cows, and tending a large garden. Clarence also did carpenter work for many of their neighbors.

Many high-spirited games of Ludo, Rook, and Aggravation were played with friends and neighbors over the years. Clarence & Emma spent three winters in Arizona, a highlight of their lives. They bought a condo in Swift Current in 1996, spending summer weekdays on the farm, and the weekends and winter months enjoying time with friends in town.

After Emma's passing in 2003, Clarence continued to live in the condo until 2010, when he moved to Riverview Estates. In 2019, he moved to the Meadows. Dad was always so pleased with the care he received at both places, commenting, "the girls are so good to me."

Clarence was a kind, gentle, and loving person who was liked and respected by all who knew him. He was dearly loved and will be sorely missed by his family.

Clarence was predeceased by his dear wife of 63 years, Emma, in 2003; and his siblings, Alvin, Edna, Oliver, Helen, Wilbert, and Roland. 

Clarence is survived by his stepson, LaVern Beisel, and his daughters and their families, Jody (Keith) Stewart (Michael and Aaron), Wendy (Mike) Ball, and Melanie (Jack) Ross (James and Emily); his son Darold (Bonnie) Beisel, and their children and families, Candace (Paolo Rigiroli) Beisel and Devin (Alyssa) Beisel (Austin, Elena and Arlo); his sister-in-law Adalene Beisel; his nephew, Melvin Beisel; and by numerous nieces and nephews.

The Celebration of Life for Mr. Clarence Beisel took place on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 2:00 pm from the fellowship room at the Church of the Open Bible in Swift Current with Pastor Blair Froese officiating. The tribute was given by Darold Beisel.

The Private Interment Service for Mr. Clarence Beisel took place from Hillcrest Cemetery, Swift Current, SK.

Darold Beisel’s Tribute to Clarence Beisel – Tuesday, March 29, 2021

I really don't like speaking in front of a group of people but I do want to say a few words about my Dad's life.

Dad started farming with horses.  There are very few people left who can say that today.  As a teenager he worked with his dad & brothers on the farm, also sometimes working for neighbors.  The money he made went back to his dad, a common practice in those days.  After mom & dad were married he & his brother Oliver had a threshing machine together & worked for neighbors.  Later, along with their dad, they bought a combine which required one man on the tractor & one man operating the combine. 

In their first years of farming mom & dad kept a lot of pigs &, like most neighbors, milked cows to get that cream cheque which bought the groceries.  In these last years, Dad was absolutely astounded by the number of acres people farmed & the size of the machines they used.

Dad was also a carpenter, building for many neighbors.  If you drive down the Prairie View road almost every house was built or remodeled by Dad.  He liked finishing work the best.  As a kid I remember Dad always building cupboards during the winter months, for somebody. 

In 1957 Dad & his brother Roland worked together to each build a house in Swift Current.  They considered building houses for a living but, in the end, decided to continue farming.  Dad also built the Beaver Flat Store in that same year.  His last major carpentry project was our house, built in 1983.

If dad had one weakness it was his love for new vehicles.  At the start it was always Fords but in1960 he & Roland decided to each buy a car, thinking if they bought them at the same time they could make a better deal.  They went to look at the new Ford cars but realized that the trunks were not very deep & they wouldn't be able to get a cream can in.  So, they ended up buying Pontiacs instead.  After that it was a mixture of GMs & Fords for dad. 

1965 must have been a good year on the farm.  That year he bought a brand new '65 Impala 2-door hardtop from Standard Motors & a new Mercury truck from Larock Motors.  I was working at Larocks in the evenings after school at the time & it was quite a thrill to have my dad buy a new truck there.  He used that truck on the farm & then it was retired to the hayfence for the last 25 years. 

Dev & I have redone that truck to pretty much the way it looked new in '65.  We still have a few things to go on it.  We're hoping it will stay in our family.  If it goes to one of Dev's kids there could be 99 years difference from Dad who bought the truck to the great grandchild who will be driving it someday.  By the way, Dad's last truck was a Ford.

Playing board games was very much a part of Dad's life.  For the first 40 or so years crokinole & checkers were played but Ludo was by far the most popular.  As a side note, we've been getting comments about what Dad is doing in heaven right now.  Some people said he is together with mom again which is very nice.  Another said he is together with his brothers again. 

But the most interesting comment came from Judy the other day.  She said that her mom & dad and my mom & dad are laughing & playing Ludo in heaven right now.  In later years Rook & Aggravation were also added to the games they played.  The rivalry was always the men against the ladies.   These last years, Adalene, Violet, Howard & Dad would go for supper together then back home to play Aggravation.  They did this every week for quite a few years.

In the mid 80's Mom & Dad went to Arizona for 3 winters, spending fun-filled times with Roland & Adalene, Oliver & Agnes, nieces & nephews from North Dakota & good friends made while there.  Bonnie & I always felt bad about leaving Dad in the winter to go to Arizona but because he had been there he understood fully why we wanted to go.

Dad lived his last years at Riverview & then at the Meadows.  He had amazingly good health.  For example, I can remember Dad & me being lined up at the mall to get our flu shots.  The nurse came down the row saying they were running low on vaccine.  Only those with underlying health conditions could get the shot that day.  I qualified because I had high blood pressure.  Dad, somewhere in his 90's, didn't qualify & couldn't get his shot that day. 

At the age of 100 he had a fall & broke his hip which required a hip replacement.  That put him in a wheel chair for the last 4 years of his life although he was still determined to walk -- with assistance.  His biggest challenge was macular degeneration which left him nearly blind &, unfortunately, unable to watch ball & hockey on tv which was something he had always enjoyed.  Every caregiver we ever talked to said how easy dad was to get along with.  I doubt the call button beside his bed was ever used.  He just didn't want to bother anyone.

Dad's Cristian life was very important to him.  He quietly lived what he believed, very seldom missing church.  Pastor Blair Froese was our minister almost 40 years ago at Faith Evangelical Church.  When Dad was living at Riverview & no longer able to drive to church he was happy to have Blair as the visiting minister.  We'd like to thank Blair for coming to speak.

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