Clarice Card Clevenger Bouton

Clarice Anna Card Clevenger Bouton was born on May 10, 1908 in Reading Michigan on her family's farm to George and Myrtle Fuller Card. She attended Reading High School and graduated Valedictorian In 1926. In 1930 she graduated from Michigan State College (University) with a degree of Bachelors of Science in Home Economics. She worked for the Glendale school system food preparation. In 1941 she married Earl Clevenger he preceded her in death in 1961. After the death of her first husband she ventured to Sun City, AZ where she met and married Hugh Bouton in 1970, he also preceded her in death in 1972. She loved the desert and chose to continue her life in Sun City, actively involved in the building of her church and other volunteer work. As a young child, I vividly remember coming out every summer to visit with Aunt Clarice. She was always proud to show us around Sun City. We would stop and say Hello to fellow church members who were ill or in need of company, then we would take off an explore the area. There was always a twinkle in her eye while we were making memories. One of my favorite memories is getting to her home on Snead Circle and eating the oranges and grapefruits right off the trees, my brother and I had never seen this, to our young minds these fruits just came from the store. She was so tickled to see the joy we were having. She always had a list of "fun" things for us to explore on our yearly visits—Lake Havasu, Wickenburg, Oatman, Grand Canyon, Navajo Reservations, Tucson, Lake Pleasant, abandoned gold mines and the list goes on. Sometimes she would venture with us on these explorations and others she would wait for us to come back to tell her all about it. Sitting in her chair she would have a great big smile and nod her head "Ah yes, I remember." When it became hard for her to get out we would still take her for drives. She loved to drive up and around Lake Pleasant and see how everything was ever changing. Family was very important to Aunt Clarice, for your family is God's gift to you. Even though she was miles away, she never missed a birthday, holiday, or chance to say "I love you". She was never more than a phone call away when we needed to talk. Her patience, understanding, faith and grace helped make me the person that I am today and I thank her for that. She always had time to listen, a shoulder to cry on, words of wisdom, and her bright red kisses. She loved to know everything that was going on in our lives and could not have been prouder of our accomplishments. I am pretty sure that her smile was bigger than mine the day that I became a nurse and the day that my brother became a father. We are grateful for all the time we spent with you. Now that her time on Earth is through I know that they are rejoicing in heaven at her presence and that my family and I have another very special angel watching over us until we are reunited for eternity in heaven. God Bless you Aunt Clarice, We love you! Dennis Hoolihan, Brad and Katie Kline, Mike, Eva and Robert Hoolihan RE: Clarice Card Clevenger Bouton "This is really the story of the eventful things that happened to four young men who left Basswood Corners [Hillsdale Co., Michigan] in 1862 to serve in the Civil War". Thus began a paper typed by Clarice as dictated by her maternal grandfather (Albert Fuller who lived to his late 90's). Thus began an 8 page memory by the person she grew up across the street from on the farm near Reading Mich. Clarice knew both of her grandfathers that were born in the mid-1830's! When we talked with her we were talking with a person that talked with people who had experiences almost 200 years ago. "It was only yesterday that I entered the old ivy covered dorm about which I had dreamed of for so long. As I walked slowly through the long hall, I wondered what the coming years held in store for me- a girl from the farm. I had worked industriously and, I am proud to say successfully in high school, as do most country children." This begins her 13 page "A Freshman's Retrospection." It ends the next spring when exams are over- "so I said goodbye to my friends on the campus, thinking how much I would miss my new relationships during the coming summer month, and left for the dearest place on earth to my country home." Clarice had moved to Arizona by the time I was very old. I first met her as an adult when she returned for her class reunion at Michigan State University. In the 1990's I became acquainted with her when I visited her in Sun City as one of the dwindling members of the Card family. I heard many stories of her youth on the farm as part of my questions about our genealogy. I have enjoyed several visits since that time. My last visit near her 103rd birthday in May 2011 was appreciated by her although it was hard to know if she knew exactly who I was other than some type of family. With her sun umbrella in hand we wheeled over to Coco's for a piece of pecan pie. Now the long journey has ended and she is surely spending eternity with God, that is far better than even her country home. By Dave Card, Haslett Michigan 1" cousin, twice removed (the grandson of her cousin Carl Card) Memorial Services for Clarice will be held at 10:00 a.m., on January 16, 2013 at the United Church of Sun City, 11250 N. 107th Ave., Sun City, Arizona.