James Mack Clawson

MISSOULA – Missoula native James Mack Clawson, 64, died unexpectedly Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, at his home.

Jim was born on Sept. 15, 1948, to Eugene H. and Vivian E. Clawson, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula. He met the love of his life, Diane Winsor, on a study tour in Germany and they were married two years later on June 20, 1970, in Ferndale, Wash. They were married for 42 wonderful years. He was Diane's best friend and she is looking forward to being reunited again with him someday in heaven.

Their daughter, Jamie Michele, was born on June 18, 1972, in Fort Benning, Ga., on Father's Day. Jim was in Phoenix, Ariz., at the time, under Army orders at the U.S. Olympic shooting tryouts and had the high score in the nation that day at 98. He knew Diane was in labor the whole day while he was shooting, and a fellow shooter on the same squad commented that it was like "being next to a puffing walrus," due to his concern for Diane and not being able to be with her.

Jim was a man of great faith. He counted his decision to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior and to follow Him all of his life as his greatest priority in life. It was this faith and belief that guided him and directed everything he did and made him the man that he was. He truly lived his faith every day and would like all of you to do the same.

Jim was a gentle giant with a big heart (and big feet!). He was always humble, a very hard worker that never gave up, generous to all, patient, slow to anger (but watch out if he did get mad) and was always serving and helping others. He was very physically fit and loved to be active. He was a very loving husband, brother, dad and grandfather. He was dearly loved by, and dearly loved, his daughter and son-in-law and granddaughters who called him their "silly Papa."

Jim received his education in Missoula, where he attended Paxson Grade School, was in the first graduating class at Sentinel High School in 1966, and then completed his education with a B.A. in business administration at the University of Montana. At the UM, he was part of the Sigma Nu fraternity and completed four years of ROTC while competing in two sports, basketball and track (discus). He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army in December 1970, followed by two years of active duty Signal Corps, Fort Benning, Ga., where he made the U.S. Army shooting team.

He went on to serve 12 years as the head of the U.S. Army Reserve International Trapshooting Team, traveling through and shooting in the U.S., England, Italy and Australia before retiring as a captain to spend more time with his family. One of the shooters in his charge during this time, Don Haldeman, won the Olympic gold medal for trapshooting in Montreal in 1976.

After returning to Missoula from active duty, Jim became the vice president of Clawson Manufacturing Company Inc., and served in this role until his death. He enjoyed working with his brother in this capacity for many years. It takes a very special relationship to be able to work with a brother in this way! Jim managed the truss department and designed hundreds of roof systems for homes in western Montana and elsewhere. He also always had a generous and helping hand for building projects that served the Lord.

Fitness and activity played a very large role in Jim's life. He was a three-sport athlete in high school, competing in football, basketball and track. He was All-State in both football and basketball; won third in state in the discus; and was the Most Outstanding Athlete for Sentinel in 1966. After high school, he turned down a full-ride scholarship to play football for Jim Sweeney at MSU, but accepted a scholarship to play basketball for the UM. He played basketball and threw the discus for the Grizzlies for four years.

Until his death, Jim continued to work out regularly, often getting up at 4:30 a.m. to workout and play basketball three mornings a week. He loved helping his daughter and granddaughters in their athletic endeavors as well. He also loved working with horses and dogs, horseback riding, and packing out animals.

Shotgun shooting was another thing that Jim loved to do and did well. He started shooting at age 10 and grew up shooting with (and sometimes competing against) his dad and brother, Gene. Along with their dad and grandfather, Jim and Gene spent countless hours practicing and traveling around the country. He was the U.S. Sub-Junior National Champion in 1963, the Junior Champion of Montana for two years, the Montana State Doubles Champion for one year, and won many other titles over the years. While in the Army, he was the U.S. Inter-Service International Champion in the early 1970s, participated on a record-setting national team, and won too many other national and regional awards to count.

Serving as a church trustee and deacon for many years, being an active member of a local church, and serving on many church committees were very important parts of Jim's life. He also served as a board member of the Western Montana Fish and Game Association until his death. Jim was the founder and president of the Montana International Shooting Association and was instrumental in getting the 15-trap international bunker set-up in Missoula. Other clubs and organizations include membership at the Missoula Trap and Skeet Club, Pheasants Forever, NRA, Ducks Unlimited, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Besides spending time with family, hunting was Jim's favorite activity and one that brought him so much joy and wonderful memories. Together with his dad and his best hunting buddy, his brother, Gene, Jim hunted all over the North American continent from Hawaii to the Yukon, Oklahoma to Arizona. When it came to hunting and other things, Jim and Gene could read each other's minds. The joke was that if it flew, walked, and was legal to hunt, it would be "in the bag" if a Clawson was in the vicinity. (He was always hoping that more wolves would come his way.) Jim got his first elk when he was 12, and harvested an elk every year from the time he returned to Missoula after the Army, until this past fall, when he was not physically able to hike much.

In recent years, he enjoyed introducing Diane and son-in-law, Jon, to the love of hunting, and purchasing his oldest granddaughter her first hunting rifle. Several years ago, the family "dog" bought Diane her first shotgun, and she became a beloved hunting partner.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Vivian and Gene Clawson, and many aunts and uncles.

Jim is survived by his loving wife and best friend, Diane; his daughter, Jamie and son-in-law, Jon Denham, and their children, Jadyn and Jaclyn of Ferndale, Wash.; his brother, Gene (Sharlene) of Missoula; his sister, Sharon (Emmitt), of Smith River, Calif.; uncle Bob Crowe; cousins Ken (Shirley) Wersland, George Crowe, Jody (Linda) Crowe, Larry (Patti) Clawson, Barb (Alan) Wolf and Stephen Brown; one niece and four nephews; and several great-nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 at the Valley Christian School gymnasium, 2526 Sunset Lane, with a reception immediately following. (Overflow parking will be available at the South Avenue Fort Missoula parking lot with bus transportation to the service at 1:15, 1:30, and 1:45 p.m.) A private family graveside service will be held at the Seeley Lake Cemetery. Pallbearers are Gene Clawson Jr., Jon Denham, Ken Wersland, Brad Clawson, Brady Clawson and Rocky Hartung, with honorary pallbearers Bill Clawson, Nick Clawson, John Hamp, Bob Massey, Cam Johnston, Chuck Ondov, and Peter Peterson.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the James Clawson Memorial Fund set up at U.S. Bank.

Schatzie, I love you and look forward to seeing you again in heaven! Suesse.

Read James Clawson's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.