|
Clarence E. "Riff" Riffey • 1918- 2011 Clarence was born January 19, 1918, in Minot, ND to Clarence D. and Betsy G. (Sandland) Riffey. He was raised and attended school in Minot. He moved to Montana and worked on the Fort Peck Dam, before returning to Minot, where he did electrical work. In 1940, Clarence went to work on the Great Northern Railway as a fireman. He entered the United States Army in 1941 and served on the islands of the South Pacific during World War II. He was honorably discharged in November of 1945 and returned to North Dakota, where he resumed employment on the railroad. Clarence was promoted to Engineer on the Great Northern Railway in June of 1948. In 1970 the Great Northern merged with the Northern Pacific Railroad and it became the Burlington Northern. Clarence engineered the passenger train the last 14 years of his career, and retired from the Burlington Northern Railroad in January of 1979. Clarence married Myrtle C. Lee on January 6, 1946 in Montana. They made their home in Minot, where together they raised their children, Kenneth, Robert and Ronald. His wife Myrtle passed away on August 2, 2010. Clarence was a craftsman and enjoyed doing electrical work and woodworking. He was also a member of the Locomotive Engineers Union. Those who shared in his life, sons, Kenneth W. Malchose, Mountain, ND; Robert A. Riffey, Burlington, ND, and Ronald E. (Candy) Riffey, Bismarck, ND; grandchildren, Todd, Donald and Kelly Malchose, and Travis and Kurtis Riffey; several great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Nina Lee and Lois Lee, both of Minot; numerous nieces and nephews. Clarence was preceded in death by his wife, Myrtle; infant son, Donald D. Riffey; daughter-in-law, Rose Malchose; granddaughter, Sue Lynn Gunderson; his parents, Clarence D. and Betsy G. Riffey; sisters, Florence Willcock, Vivian Tofflemire, Vera Decker, Helen Robinson and Ruby Pearson. Funeral: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot, ND. Visitation: Monday, October 10, 2011, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot, ND. Burial: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot, ND.
|
Clarence E. “Riff” Riffey, 93, Minot, died Wednesday, October 5, 2011 in a Minot nursing home.