OBITUARY: French, Claire, 1918-2004, Mitchell Co., Iowa

[Adapted from: Mitchell County Press online - March 17, 2004 - www.mcpress.com]



                            Claire French

A Memorial Mass for Claire French, age 85, of Osage, Iowa, was 
celebrated on Thursday, March 18, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church
in Osage.  Clair died Sunday, March 14, 2004 at Mitchell County
Regional Health Center in Osage of myeloproliferative disease.

Claire donated his body to the University of Iowa Medical College.
Inurnment will take place at a later date.

Charles Claire French was born September 8, 1918 in Osage, Iowa. He
was the oldest child of Mary Gilles and Glenn French. His father
was a salesman for the Northwest Grocery Company so the family moved
quite often, but they always seemed to return to Osage.

Claire started school in Osage and at that time, it was common to
skip half grades. He graduated from Iowa Falls High School in 1935
when he was 16. He spent his summers working on his grandfather's
farm and enjoying the company of his grandfather, Charles B. French.

After graduation from high school, he worked at a printing company
and was hoping to save money for college; but the print shop went
out of business, so he returned to Osage to live with Gramp French
and worked at the Diamond Grocery. Claire loved the grocery
business and soon became the fruit and vegetable man.

Claire and Helen Stearns were married Aug. 30, 1941 in Sturgis, South
Dakota.  He joined the Army in March, 1940, and was eventually sent
to Fort Mead in South Dakota. He did administrative work and was
asked to go to officer training school at Fort Lee in Virginia.
Helen and Claire moved to Denver, Colorado, where their first
daughter, Nancy, was born Dec. 28, 1943. After being discharged
from the Army in 1945, they returned to Osage and he was offered
a position at Home Trust Bank, working there until he and his
sister-in-law Mazie Stearns, bought a women's and children's
clothing store from Mary Kelly in February 1947. Their second
daughter, Sally, was born July 6, 1948. He operated the store
until it was sold to Jeannine Horn in January 1972.

Claire also enjoyed working on his grandfather's farm, which he
now owned. Because of his great love of the farm, he purchased
land in the mid-60's and the family farm in the early 70's and
spent all his spare time there farming and eventually gardening.

He ran for state representative, served on the county Board of
Review and the city council. He was adjutant of American Legion
Post 278, and secretary-treasurer of the Osage Development
Corporation as well as for Sunny Brae Country Club and the
Rotary. While in Florida for the winter, he was a volunteer
tax preparer for senior citizens.

Preceding Claire in death were his parents and two brother Bob
and Jim.

He is survived by his wife Helen and daughters Nan (Jerry)
Danforth of Cedar Rapids and Sally (Bob) Miller of Osage;
grandchildren Jeff and Chad Danforth, Robyn (Dave) Keele,
Joe (Brenda) Miller and Jaci (fiance' Dan Donlan) Miller;
great-grandchildren Matt and Mark Keele and Abbie, Anna
and Ben Miller; sister Joan (Ken) Limke of Urbandale and
a sister-in-law Mary Helen French of Osage.

Memorials may be directed to Mitchell County ARC.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home 641-732-3706, Osage was in
charge of arrangements.

      
      Copyright 2004, K. L. Kittleson