Clarabelle Alice Buckingham

                CLARABELLE ALICE BUCKINGHAM

    (1934 - 2024) 

wanted to be remembered as a 

Wife, Mom, Grandma, and dear Friend.

Clarabelle was affectionately called Claire. She loved coloring and working on her crossword puzzles. She loved to play cards with her friends at the Atria Home that included Connie, Norma, and others. And most recently, Claire enjoyed her time visiting with her sons, grandchildren, and friends; especially those who did errands with and for her (Julie Center was special to Claire, too). Claire took pride in spending time with her family, recalling driving her sons and grandkids to school and ballgames (she often talked about how good of a baseball player Tim was and remember-when’s that only the family could laugh about). Claire married once (to Jack Buckingham, Sr.) and had four sons: Jack Jr., Tim Sr., Ken, and Frank. 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Claire felt good that she had family and friends. She often talked about her accomplishments and how they made her feel. She shared, her greatest accomplishments were being Wife, Mom, Grandma, Friend, and in retiring from SMUD as Secretary (17 years); and in her early years, volunteering at the church in South Dakota as piano player (the preacher Pastor was Jim Hart, wife was Joyce).

FAMILY AND THE FARM

Born in Cass Twp., Claire grew up on the farm in Iowa with her parents George and Esther Clevenger and four brothers Tom, Eugene, Marvin, and David in Iowa. Claire was the youngest child and only girl. Claire was closest to David, who was only a year older, which allowed them to do a lot of stuff together like riding to school. Still, all four brothers were extra attentive to their baby sister Claire.

FONDEST EARLY MEMORIES

One of Claire’s fondest early memories on the farm was of her trips to school with her brothers: “Walking to school, we were three quarters of a mile from a one-room schoolhouse (where I went for the first six years of my primary education. I was a little bitty shrimp) when my brothers took me on their shoulders in the deep snow (so, I wouldn’t get wet or cold) and even wrapped me with their coats when it was very cold or raining.” Her fondest memory was on the Fourth of July on the Farm Hwy 39 and the Carnival.

In school, Claire made her own clothes. She loved to sew, knit, and read (reading up in the tree was one of Claire’s favorite pass times because she was peacefully uninterrupted). Claire’s favorite outfit included her fashionable cotton pleated skirts, blouse, and neck scarf. Later, Claire would learn knitting and would knit bedroom slippers for her own family for Christmas. 

Claire attended Woodbine High School in Iowa (Class of ‘52). Claire shared, “In high school’s drivers’ education (ed), I wrecked the only drivers ed car the school had. It was the first year that they had okayed to have drivers ed available for high school students. I was a sophomore. I just turned 16. Because I grew up on the farm, the teacher took it for granted that I knew how to drive around, assuming all the farming kids drove tractors all around. The teacher did not know that my dad was old-fashioned and didn’t want girls driving tractors. So, I gained little experience. When the teacher put me behind the wheel and said go on, I drove. Pretty soon, I was over the curb and up upon the bank. Maybe I was going too fast.” Later, at graduation and class reunions, Claire would be teased about that incident with reference to an actual fender that the class wanted to bestow upon Claire. Embarrassed then, Claire laughed in current times while recalling the story.

Two weeks after graduation, at 18 years old (a day before her first job at Liberty Mutual), Claire moved into an apartment with roommates. She indicated there was nothing to do on the farm, that is why she moved. Her family quit farming as the boys left home (Tom was drafted into the Army, David had enlisted into the Armed Forces, Marvin joined the Air Force, and Gene worked on another farm), and her dad started working at a nearby manufacturing company. To keep the family together, Claire’s mom tried to coordinate a family picnic / family reunion every other Sunday (at least one Sunday every month) on the family farm or another family member’s farm that included her mom’s five sisters and their families: “These were especially memorable during the summer times. On my dad’s side of the family, we also had reunions / family get-togethers once a month, too. My dad had three brothers who lived in Logan with their families. So, we were instilled with strong family values.”

JACK AND FAMILY

In 1953, Claire would meet Jack roller skating and go on their first date. Claire’s first date with Jack was going to the movies. Claire shared, “After the movies, we walked and talked by the lake until 4:00 in the morning. We talked about everything. I think I fell asleep when the ‘cops’ came and asked what was going on? And the rest is history.” Claire met Jack in January and married in the same year (October 1953), after her 19th birthday. Together, they had four beautiful sons Jack, Tim, Ken, and Frank; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

LOVE AND FAVORITES

Claire’s love was Jack, family, and close friends. Claire loved God and attended bible studies, too. Claire shared her favorite memory verses. The one that was her mother’s favorite, too, was Proverbs 27:1 (“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”). Claire explained this one meant we only have today. And that is why she tried to be happy all the time and stay active with laughter.

Claire loved her card games (she had a competitive advantage). Claire’s favorite color was royal blue. Her favorite flowers were red roses. Her favorite football team was the Nebraska Huskers (whose football memorabilia Jack, Sr. was buried in and Claire wanted to go with, too). On food, she loved all food except spinach. On music, Claire loved symphony, waltzes, country western (Eddy Arnold’s Make the World Go Away), mellow old-favorites, and military marching songs. Claire loved poems. Her favorite poem was by Edgar Allan Poe (Annabel Lee about a young man and a young woman who fall in love). Books that Claire enjoyed were Gone with the Wind (which she read about seven times) and stories of mystery or with a historical back story. Claire’s favorite author was Louisa May Alcott (who wrote Little Women). Above all, Claire’s favorites were her memories of her life on the farm and of raising her children with Jack. 

CONCLUSION

Claire shared that she lived a full and good life. She said she would not change anything if she were given a chance to do it all over again. Recalling stories and pointing to pictures, Claire shared that she was proud of each of her four sons and 21 plus grandchildren and their families; and could not believe that the family was still growing. Claire said that this was her true legacy that she would be leaving behind. 

The final message 

that Claire wanted to leave to 

family and friends was, 

“Remember me for loving you. 

Though I have flown away, I await your arrival.”