Bertha Dee Clouse (Mansfield)'s Obituary
Bertha Marie “Dee” Clouse was born November 17th, 1923 to Orval and Bessie Hunsaker near Bryant, Missouri. She went to be with the Lord on January 11th, 2017, at the age of 93 years, where she will be reunited with her husband of 66 years who preceded her in death on October 28, 2007.
Dee was also preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, Stella Bunch and Carlene Casida, and two granddaughters Jill Clouse and Sherry Sharp.
She is survived by two sons, Roy Clouse and his wife, Sue, of Mansfield, Missouri, and Gary Clouse and his wife, Carol, of Nashville, Tennessee. Three granddaughters, Karen Carter and her husband, Willie, of Springfield, Missouri, Jan Hobbs and her husband, Kenneth, of Stuart, Florida, and Julie Roy and her husband, Randall, of Mansfield, Missouri. Two grandsons Lance Oligshlaeger and his wife, Gretchen, of Gallatin, Tennessee, and Field Oligshlaeger of Gallatin, Tennessee, and one grand son-in-law Randy Sharp of Springfield, Missouri. Seventeen great grandchildren, seven great-great grandchildren, and one sister, Naomi Hunsaker, of Dallas, Texas, as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
Dee attended Flint Point Grade school followed by Ava High school where she graduated in 1941. She was married to James Clouse on November 10, 1941 in Ava, Missouri, this was the beginning of being a farmer’s wife for the next 65 plus years, and to this union two sons were born. She worked at Tobin Hamilton, Mansfield High School, and Little House Restaurant before buying a Fabric Shop in 1978, which she owned and operated for over 38 years. She was saved as a young girl and baptized in Bryant Creek. She has been active in several different churches during her life including Brush Arbor Church, Ava Church of God, Bible Fellowship Church of Mansfield, and the Mansfield Nazarene Church.
She was an accomplished pianist, organist, and keyboard player and was always willing to assist as needed as a musician. She played for several singing groups, including Detherage quartet, Clouse quartet, Clouse duet, and Cravens quartet for 25 years. She also played for 100’s of funerals in Wright, Webster, and adjoining counties, as well as annual meetings for different companies. She always had time to go and serve others in their time of bereavement with her God given talent. In her spare time she had a vegetable garden raising prize tomatoes. She also enjoyed knitting and crocheting, and was an accomplished seamstress making most of her wardrobe and sewing for others. She enjoyed making dresses for her granddaughters when they were young and came to see her.
She lived most her married life on a large farm on F Highway where work was plentiful. Cooking for farmhands during harvest season, milking cows, feeding hogs, putting up hay, and running errands, until they sold the farm and dairy cattle and moved to a small beef farm in town. She continued this way of life as long as she was physically able even after her husband’s death. We celebrate her life and accomplishments and will treasure the many memories she created for her family and friends.
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