Mildred Claunch

A celebration of the life of Mildred Irene Claunch will be held Friday, August 21, 2009 at 10:00am at the Newcomer Funeral Home in Casper. Mildred passed away peacefully on August, 16, 2009 at the age of 90 with many of her family at her side. She was born November 27, 1918 in Hunter, Oklahoma. The daughter of Thomas Johnson and Nellie Irene Walker, she grew up in Hunter where she graduated From Hunter High School as valedictorian in 1936. She turned down two college scholarship offers to marry and spend her life with her high school sweetheart Harold (Hal) Claunch and on February 4, 1937 she and Hal were married in Pampa, Texas. They were married 72 years and had a wonderful life together.

After their marriage Mildred and Hal lived in a number of places where Hal worked as a musician, much of which was on the road. They lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a time before settling in the Los Angeles area where their son T.J. was born, followed by their daughter Marilyn that died in infancy and finally their daughter Lee Ann. Tiring of living a musician's life, mostly on the road, and with two children, the family moved back to Oklahoma in 1946 where Mildred worked at raising the children and keeping the Claunch family home. Mildred and the family moved to Casper in 1954 where over the years she was employed at several business firms as a bookkeeper. She worked for Builder's Mart for 17 years before retiring from there in 1984.

After her retirement, she and Hal spent a number of winters in California where she was able to enjoy golf and get reacquainted with many old friends who still lived there in addition to making many new friends. She and Hal traveled extensively after retirement with their son T.J. They visited Mexico, England, Scotland and France, a cruise through the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal in addition to many places in the states including an Alaskan cruise and a visit to Hawaii.

Mildred was a member of the Casper Women's Golf Club. She also enjoyed fishing and camping over the years with her children and grandchildren and she was known to be a great cook. Many Wyoming summer nights were spent in their camper beside a stream or lake and there were numerous times she caught more fish than Hal. She was also very interested in football and basketball and tried to watch all the games on TV. This interest developed over the years after first watching her husband play in high school, followed by her children and grandchildren who all came to be sports-minded.

She is survived by her husband of 72 years; her sister Suellen Williams and her husband Bruce of Hunter, Oklahoma; her son T.J. Claunch of Casper; her daughter Lee Ann Thurston and her husband Rick of Casper; her grandson Don Claunch and his wife Laura of Casper; her granddaughter Dori Claunch and her partner Patti Paredes of Denver, Colorado; her grandson Rick Thurston and his wife Christin of Minneapolis, Minnesota; her great granddaughter Jeri Claunch Boe of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; her great grandson Donnie Claunch and his wife Emily of Casper; her great granddaughter Kendall Thurston and great grandson Dillon Thurston of Minneapolis, Minnesota; her great granddaughter Leslie Lillo of Las Vegas, Nevada; her great-great grandson Shandon Boe of Sioux Falls, SD and her great great grandson Ethan Claunch of Casper.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her infant daughter Marilyn Jean Claunch, her granddaughter Darla Jean Claunch and her sisters Mary Jane Park, Wanda Lee Walker and Waneta Mae Bennell.

Memorials in Mildred's name may be sent to Jason's Friends Foundation, 340 West B Street, Suite 101, Casper, WY 82601 or the Shriner's Patients Travel Fund, Casper Shrine Club, 1501 West 39th, Casper, WY 82604. They may also be left at the Newcomer Funeral Home in Casper.