CLARA LAMPHIER obituary

GLASGOW/GREAT FALLS - Clara Josephine Lamphier, 90, of Great Falls, a former Valley County Treasurer and farm wife, died Wednesday, May 13, 2004, at a Great Falls hospice of natural causes.

Visitation was scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. today at Schnider Funeral Home at 1510 13th St. S. in Great Falls. The vigil service will be 7 p.m. today at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial.

The funeral service will be at Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 11 a.m. Tuesday. The burial service will be conducted at the Highland Cemetery in Glasgow at 1 p.m. Wednesday. All friends in the Glasgow area are invited to attend.

Clara was born in Hickory County, Mo., on May 29, 1913, to Martin and Mary Ann Derenburger. The extended family moved to the Jordan area in 1917. Her parent's homestead north of Jordan was her home during her early years. She attended grade school in a one-room school house and graduated valedictorian from the Jordan High School in 1931.

Clara married Francis Lamphier on July 7, 1931. They spent most of their early married years in Fort Peck, where he worked on the Fort Peck Dam construction project. When dam construction ended in 1940, they began farming west of Glasgow. During the next year, they bought the dairy farm that was to be their home until 1960.

Clara was very active in the Montana Dairy Owners Association, her home demonstration club, St. Raphael's Altar Society and 4-H club leadership. In 1960, the farm was sold and they moved into Glasgow, where Clara became director of the U.S.O. She served in many organizations, including the Business and Professional Women and Soroptimist clubs. In 1966, she was elected Valley County treasurer and worked in that office until she retired in 1978. She then moved to Great Falls, where she continued her involvement with BPW and Soroptimists, along with volunteer work at the Senior Citizen Center and the YWCA.

Clara enjoyed gardening, crocheting and knitting. Her creations took many prizes at the Valley County Fair. She also enjoyed fishing and card playing, but her most consuming interest throughout her life was her family with holiday celebrations and everyday get-togethers. The events in her grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's lives were always uppermost in her heart and mind.

Her husband, Francis Lamphier, died in 1966.

Survivors include her children, Richard of Great Falls, Leighton Paul (Jacqueline) of Helena, Michael (Carol) of Great Falls, Patrick (Diane) of Havre, Katherine (John) Dees of Great Falls, and Timothy (Karen) of Eden, Utah; 19 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.

Memorials be made to the American Diabetes Foundation or the American Cancer Society.