CLARENCE OVERSON'S DEATH

The photos are views from our condo balcony and study. This is a gorgeous setting, with lots of birds, colorful bushes, and expansive trees!

CLARENCE'S DEATH

Mavis called this morning to say that Clarence Overson was playing golf on Sunday and suffered a stroke. He was transported to the hospital but later died from side-effects of the stroke, at age 75. He had been at the family reunion for Dad's birthday on April 4th, and appeared then to be in good health. He and Ginnie have five children.

I have many memories of Clarence from his younger days around Cartwright, when we were regular companions from childhood through high school in Fairview. He was a prankster from the very beginning, regularly finding ways to get several of us in trouble! I'll never forget the time he and I were throwing rocks on the roof of the vacant store on Cartwright's mainstreet, when one rock strayed into a large plate glass window. He insisted it was my fault, when I knew better. Dad wound up paying to replace the window!

He loved coming to the farm for games in the hills and woods. He was a regular visitor for several days at a time, and despite the periodic misbehaviors, we had a great time, often with Stanley Winter involved. He will certainly be missed by his friends and the larger family.

ON THE FARM

Spring planting is in full swing, accompanied by regular delivery of new calves (230 so far). Ron manages the calves (he says after this season he is about to give up on cattle, because of all the mishaps!), while Luke and Will plant barley, wheat, and sugar beets. Abbie has been keeping Mavis and Ron company, to their delight, much of the time, while Luke is in the fields. It is sufficiently dry that irrigation with the sprinklers is already under way. The pastures are very short, which means the cattle to continue to need expensive hay, which is short supply after a long winter. Fortunately, the Yellowstone is providing plenty of water at the irrigation pumps because of a change in the sand bar formations.

The hired man is finally almost moved into Dad and Mom's old house. He has lived with his parents all the while, but their house was sold and they moved to Dickinson, so he has to move. It is nice to have that house occupied instead of sitting empty, as it has much of the time for the last several years.

Bill and Marie