Clarence Van Fossen

MISSOULA - Clarence J. “Van” Van Fossen, 86, of Missoula, passed away peacefully Saturday, December. 13, 2008, at his home at the Village Senior Residence after an extended illness.





Van epitomized the greatest generation. He lived through the failure of his family’s farm during the Great Depression, volunteered to serve his country in World War II, helped bring modern communications technology to Montana and raised a fine family during a 62-year marriage. Van was a man of his word, was always willing to lend his neighbor a hand and could build, fix and maintain just about anything around the house or in the garage. He was a follower of Christ and his life was a reflection of his faith.





Van was born Feb. 25, 1922, in Humphreys, Mo., to William Romulus and Vern Irene Van Fossen. He graduated from Humphreys High School in 1940. In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as an electrician second class on the USS Hobson and the USS Butner in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II.





He later met his best friend for life, Lois Louise Evans, while stationed at Farragut Naval Training Station in northern Idaho. The couple married Feb. 19, 1946, in Seattle.





After discharge from the Navy, Van worked as a telephone line builder and traveled all over central and eastern Montana.





In 1954, the Van Fossens settled in Anaconda, where Van worked as a telephone installer wire chief and central office repairman for the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Co. He worked for the Mountain States for 33 years, retiring to the Bitterroot Valley in 1982 and later moved to Missoula in 1993.





Van was an avid bowler and maintained an average above 170 well into his 80s. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, riding his trail bike and gardening. Van had a long-standing argument with Missoula’s urban deer population helping itself to his fruit trees and garden.





Van was recently honored as a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge, was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America and was actively involved in the Lolo Community Church, where he volunteered in the automotive maintenance ministry and at Camp Utmost.





Van is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Lois (Evans) Van Fossen of Missoula; children, Jane Van Fossen of Missoula, Jim and wife January of Missoula and Drew and wife Kathleen of Suamico, Wis.; grandchildren, Ashleigh Van Fossen of Missoula, Adam Van Fossen of De Pere, Wis., Conner Van Fossen of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Joel Van Fossen of Suamico; stepgrandson, Larry Burke of Missoula; sisters, Marion Meehan of Portland, Maine, and Christine Houston of Milan, Mo.; sister-in-law, Hazel Blodgett and family of Kennewick, Wash.





Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, December. 19, at Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory.





Memorials may be made to Camp Utmost, in care of Rocky Mountain Bible Mission, 1515 Fairview Ave., Suite 200, Missoula, MT 59801.






Read Clarence Van Fossen's Obituary and Guestbook.