Clinton Carlton Baesman

Your short time on this planet lasted just 76 years. In that time spent, you were born to Lena and Arthur Baesman in the Land O Lakes, Dayton, Minnesota. (Love those Vikes!) Together with your siblings, Russell, Arthur, Gale, Morris, (Morris still hangin’ with us) Delores and Myrtle, you all moved to the west side of Washington. Growing up, and then finally growing out, you decided to join the military, proud to serve you country as a paratrooper in the Army airborne. As a staff sergeant, you were honorably discharged after your tour in the Korean War. Fresh off the boat with a $100 bucks in your pocket, your life changed forever, you met Mom!

Moses Lake in the early fifties was still pretty quiet as with most small rural towns back then, the only place for a divorced teen with two toddlers to work was the local diner. Well, that fateful day you walked in with your hair pomped up, (a little dabble do ya), your sleeves rolled up and those blue jean cuffs, (How could any woman resist?) That pretty much set it all in motion for the next 55 years,

You took on a huge responsibility, building on a family already in progress, (not easy in those golden oldie days), and then before ya knew it, BINGO! Two more boys! Work was pretty scarce in the potato sheds back then, so because of your love of woodworking, and the need to feed, you became an apprentice carpenter, who then went on to become a 50 year retired journeyman carpenter, not too bad Old Man!

Fast forward your Journey to the Golden State, where you loved the fast lane, the cars, the bars, and the year round employment, you never could get over “Sunny and 82 degrees” on our first California Christmas, you were hooked!

Well, your kids finally moved on with kids of their own, so it was just you, Mom and a couple of dogs, Vegas was only 5 hours away by car, could it get any better?

And life goes on.

Everybody got older, your folks passed on, the pull to go home was just too strong, you packed it up and packed it in, you came back to Moses to begin again. It’s kinda like you left it, but only bigger, not as many friends, but hey go figure. You loved your yard and time in your garden, cooking up salsa was never a problem, you’d bury your bulbs and Boot would dig em, that dog was a trip, you sure did miss him. You could find humor in just about all, a nudge and a wink, life was a ball. You influenced our lives, so much more than you’ll know, with tools of the trade, and a direction to go.

Time is a constant, but sometimes can be cruel:

A brand new year Mother got sick, when she wanted to go, she went really went quick. Four months to the day you said goodbye, it hurt so bad, but we all know why. You missed her so much, you were so alone, and you needed her hand, to take you home.

Your hat’s on the tree, your boots are below, load up the boat, it’s time to go!

We love you Dad, say hey to Mom, together again, and life goes on.

Ron, Joe, Jim and the irrepressible Ricke.