Clarence N. Abraham was born August 13, 1923, in Omro Twp., Yellow Medicine Co., MN, the son of Leo and Lena (Antony) Abraham. He was baptized and confirmed at the St. Leo Catholic Church in St. Leo and attended country school in Omro Twp.
He entered the Army on January 22, 1945 and was honorably discharged on November 15, 1946. He was united in marriage with Marie Eckart on October 22, 1949, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Canby. In October of 1952, they moved to the Auburn and Federal Way, WA area, where he ran a pipe bending machine for the Kenworth Truck Company. They moved back to Omro Twp in 1964, where he farmed and ran his plumbing and heating business. In 1975, they made their home just south of Dawson. He enjoyed his 13 years of retirement until his death on Monday, August 17, 1998, at the Johnson Memorial Hospital at the age of 75 years and 4 days.
Clarence enjoyed their hobby farm, being outdoors, gardening, and was always working on something. He was a member of St. James Catholic Church and had a lifetime membership in the VFW Post #5247 of Dawson .
Clarence is survived by his wife, Marie; daughters: Diane (Keven) McCarley of Windsor, CO, Debbie (Jim) Anderson of Fort Collins, CO, Cynthia (Dean) Knutson of Montevideo, Karen (Kurt) Harstad of Brooklyn Park, and Candace (Randy) Hansen of Canby; 16 grandchildren and 3, soon to be 4, great-grandchildren; brothers: Ralph (Vivian) and Lambert (Alice); sisters: Mildred (Norbert) Eischens, Anita (Leo) Kockelman, Viola (Virgil) Fox, Betty Lauck, LaVina (Norm) Fox, and Joyce (Delmar) Ruchert; sister-in-law, Hilde Abraham; and many other family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Tami in 1973; brothers: Arnold and LeRoy; and sisters: Bernice Stafford, Eleanor Eischens, and Marie in infancy.
Mass of Christian Burial was at 10:30 AM, Thursday, August 20, 1998, at the St. James Catholic Church in Dawson with Fr. Jeff Horejsi and Fr. Robert Goblirsch officiating. The commentator was Sister Vivian and Jeff Abraham was the lector. Organist, Joan Zaiser, acccompanied the hymns "Amazing Grace", "Be Not Afraid", "Here I Am Lord", "On Eagle's Wings", "I Know That My Redeemer Lives", and "How Great Thou Art." The honorary casketbearers were granddaughters: Stephanie Anderson, Holli Harstad, Jodi Flaa, Hani Harstad, Kami Knutson, Tonia Hansen, and Leah Knutson and the active casketbearers were grandsons: Mike Shimp, Troy Shimp, Todd Shimp, Wyatt Knutson, Jed Knutson, Kurt Anderson, Bret Anderson, Travis Hansen, and Aaron Flaa. The committal service was at the St. James Catholic Cemetery in rural Dawson with military rites presented by the VFW Strand-Saboe Post, #5247, of Dawson. Blessed be his memory