Clarence Alfred Reed

Clarence Alfred Reed passed away on Feb. 9, 2022, in Columbia Falls at the age of 90.

Clarence was born on May 31, 1931, in Hotchkiss, Colorado to Perry and Mattie Reed. He married Betty Joan Redden (“Gram” to her grandchildren) on April 2, 1955.

Clarence was an industrious worker, mining coal and uranium during the nuclear gold rush referred to as the Uranium Frenzy in the late 40s and 50s. In 1953, Clarence joined the Army and proudly served as part Second Armored Cavalry in Germany from 1953-1955. Following his service, Clarence was a successful farmer and rancher starting with a hog farm, then a chicken farm, and ultimately a dairy. Clarence sold the dairy in 1972 to move his wife and four children to Kalispell, where he founded Conoco Car Care Center on Idaho Street. He took great pride in being one of the last full-service stations in the area.

Clarence is survived by his son Ken Reed and daughter Karen Miller; eight grandchildren, Ryan Reed, Kevin Miller, Amber Guckenberg, Nathan Miller, Brandon Miller, Marshal Reed, Clara Miller, Makaylie Reed and numerous great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife Betty Joan Redden and sons David and Ed.

Clarence was a skilled woodworker, welder, fabricator, and gardener. He was a lifelong outdoorsman, infecting his children and grandchildren with a love of creation with decades of adventures. He explored, hunted, and fished from the cold of Alaska to the heat of Mexico where he continued to live and fish for another 25 years. Clarence worked hard, played hard, and wrung 250 years out of the 90 he was with us. No paragraph in a newspaper could capture it. You had to be there. Clarence passed peacefully with son Ken and grandson Kevin by his side.

A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.