Clara Alex Henderson McLeod, 75, went to be with our Lord and Savior on
April 6, 2009 after a long and courageous battle with COPD. Funeral services are
scheduled for 3:00 pm Thursday, April 9, at St Paul Lutheran Church with burial
to follow in the Crown Hill Cemetery. A reception for family and friends will
be held at the Cut Bank Moose Lodge after the services.
Clara was born at home on September 30, 1933 in Joplin, Montana to Harry Alex and Ruth (Sem) Alex. When Clara was three years old the family, which also included a younger sister Shirley, moved to Cut Bank. It was there that the family grew to include seven more siblings, made up of two brothers and five sisters. Behind Clara came Shirley, Gene, Darlene, Bonnie, Jeri, Dick, Nancy and Linda. When Clara was twelve years old her mother died of breast cancer and left Clara to be the mother figure for her eight brothers and sisters. While helping care for her siblings she attended grade school and high school in Cut Bank. Her father then married Helen Johnston and they had a son Robert J. and a daughter Debbie.
On June 2, 1950, a few months shy of her 17th birthday Clara married William C. Henderson. Together they had four children: a boy Gale, and three girls, Janice, Kathy and Teri.
After marriage Clara worked outside the home and spent 24 years in the Clerk and Recorder’s office, including serving two terms as the Glacier County Clerk and Recorder. She retired in the early 1990’s to enjoy her Grandchildren. After the death of her husband Bill, she met and married Harold “Mac” McLeod on March 29th, 2004. They continued to reside in Cut Bank until her death.
Clara had a generous and giving heart. She was a wonderful provider for her brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She is survived by her loving husband Mac of Cut Bank; her children, Gale (Violet) Henderson of Kalispell, Janice (Sam) Hagerty of Albuquerque, NM, Kathy (John) Sweley of Sidney, and Teri (Jeff) Gottlob of Cut Bank; as well as ten precious grandchildren and 9 special great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters Shirley (Myron) Dobson of Payson, AZ, Darlene (Doug) Kohlbeck of Kalispell, Jeri Alex, Nancy (Arte) Waldenburg and Debbie Kerouac also of Kalispell, Linda (Bob) Flynn of Cut Bank and her brothers Dick (Annie) Alex of Kalispell and Robert J (Carole) Alex of Castle Rock, Colorado. She was preceded in death by her folks, brother Gene, sister Bonnie and her first husband Bill.
Clara was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Cut Bank and was also a member of the Ladies Moose Lodge.