Clarence D. Hoeme

Clarence Dale Hoeme passed from this life on Thursday, March 26, 2015 at his home. Clarence was born May 29, 1926, the third of four children born to Richard and Marie Hoeme at the family home in Hooker, Oklahoma. His growing up years were during the decade of the prolonged drought and dust storm days of the 1930s.

He was baptized in the Christian faith and remained a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Hooker, Oklahoma, teaching and serving his church in many capacities. Clarence completed his first twelve years of education in Hooker schools, graduating with the class of 1944.

At age seventeen he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. He received his basic training at Biloxi, Mississippi. While awaiting cadet training at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado, the atomic bomb ended the war, and Clarence was discharged. He took advantage of the G.I. Bill and enrolled in Panhandle A & M College (now Panhandle State University). He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and served as president of that graduating class of 1950.

He was employed for a time with Beech Aircraft of Liberal, Kansas, and later with Natural Gas Pipeline of America. Seeking a more challenging style of making a living, he chose farming. During those occupational transitions he made the acquaintance of a young lady from Clayton, New Mexico, who had moved to Hooker and taken employment with The First National Bank. Her name was Margaret May Howell. She was always known as "Bobbye" by all who knew her. To Clarence, Bobbye was everything a man could possibly be blest with to share life’s journey. He proposed. She accepted. They were married September 5, 1954 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hooker, Oklahoma. Two daughters were born to this marriage: Tara Dayle and Kristal Marie. This family and the joys they shared was the substance of Clarence’s happiness.

During Clarence’s 44 years of farming, he also served the community as auctioneer for household goods and farm machinery sales. This led to his acquiring a real estate broker’s license for Oklahoma and Kansas. He sold many farm land and ranch land properties in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado until his retirement. He was privileged to make many acquaintances over a wide spread area through his auction services.

Clarence liked to fish for trout in the mountain lakes of Colorado and New Mexico. He, together with his wife, Bobbye, traveled to many European countries and enjoyed ship cruises to the Bahamas, Alaska, South America, and the Grecian islands. Clarence earned his pilot’s license while in college and continued to be an avid flyer in his business and for pleasure.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Bobbye, his father and mother, Richard and Marie Hoeme of Hooker, Oklahoma, and his brother, Walter of Hooker, Oklahoma.

He is survived by his daughters, Tara Anderson of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Kristal Tomshany of Tulsa, Oklahoma; his sister, Helen Herbel of Hooker, Oklahoma, and his brother, Marland of Denver, Colorado, and also by, his granddaughters, Claire Elkins, of Palo Alto, California, and Kenzie Zwayer of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hooker, Oklahoma with Rev. Conrad Oehlert officiating. Interment will be in the Hooker Cemetery directed by Roberts Brothers Funeral Home in Hooker, Oklahoma.

Memorials are suggested to the St. John’s Lutheran Church and may be left at the Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Box 745, Hooker, Oklahoma 73945.

Condolences may be left at www.robertsbrothersfuneralhome.com