Obituary of Clifford Homm

Clifford John Homm passed from this life on February 11, 2015 at the Grace Manor Care Center in Burlington, at the age of 97. He was born in a two room sod house in rural Newton, Yuma County, the third of four children of George Carl and Clara (Fleer) Homm on December 7, 1917. He completed eighth grade at Newton School. He worked on the family ranch and spent many evenings with his grandmother Anna Homm. Early in his life Clifford appreciated the home site surrounded by big cottonwoods on Landsman Creek and Highway 385 where he lived most of his life. He bought it from his father when he was 21. They started raising Hereford cattle in 1931. Drafted into the Army in WWII, he received training in a hospital before being honorably discharged in August 1943 to return to his ranch. On September 23, 1951 he married Carolyn Chase at Beecher Island. They had two children: George in 1952 and Helen in 1953. They attended Sunday School at Beecher Island and church at St. John United Church of Christ at Idalia and Hope Congregational Church at Bethune until his hearing failed. He knew Jesus Christ as his savior. He believed in fairness passionately. He took it as a compliment when told “You think different than most people.” Clifford ranched until 1979 when he sold his registered Hereford herd and rented out the ranch. He and Carolyn were then free to garden, fish and travel. He completed many woodworking projects, rebuilt the corrals at the ranch, and kept the pasture fences in repair. In 1994 he bought cows with his children and expanded the ranch. He drove the tractor to rake until he was 90. He remained interested in the cattle all of his life. Clifford is survived by his wife Carolyn, son George (Diane), daughter Helen (Terry) Meek, sister Hazel Langendoerfer, sister-in-law Bessie Rose Dent, brother-in-law Manley (Doris) Chase, step-grandchildren Nathan Medley, Melanie (Marshall) Thomas, Josiah Medley and Collen Medley, nieces Sharon (Curt) Boell, Beverly (Larry ) Shively, Sandra (Roland) Strobel, Joyce (Ron) Brown, and nephews Larry (Linda) Dent, Wayne (Antina) Chase, and Rod (Renee) Chase. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gilbert, his sister and brother-in-law Velma and William Hugh Gerber, brother-in-laws Ernie Langendoerfer and Paul Dent, and step-grandson Caleb Medley.