Clara E. Smith
Jan. 26, 1923 – Feb. 18, 2019
Clara E. Smith, age 96,
of West Fargo, ND, died
Monday, February 18,
2019 at Villa Maria, Fargo,
after a brief illness.
Clara Elise Furness was
born January 26, 1923, to
Karl and Kari (Hanson)
Furness in Battleview,
ND. She married Michael
Smith April 17, 1940, in
Williston, ND. They
farmed near McGregor,
ND, for 65 years. She al-
ways had a large vegetable
garden and shared her
bounty with family and
friends. She will be
remembered for her deli-
cious homemade buns,
brownies, and the Crisco
cans of cookies she
brought when visiting her
children and grandchil-
dren. They moved from
the farm to West Fargo
after retiring in 2011 to be
closer to family.
She is survived by her
daughter Jan Skaare,
Mesa, AZ; sons, Dennis
(Melanie), Minot, ND,
Doug (Cynthia), West Far-
go; grandchildren: Micha-
el Smith, Tracey (Domin-
ick) Perone, Robert (Su-
san) Smith, Jill (Bob)
Skaare, Gavin (Sarah)
Smith, Darren (Nikki)
Smith, Kerry Smith; 16
great-grandchildren, 3
great-great-grandchildren;
and many nieces &
nephews.
Clara was preceded in
death by her husband
Michael in 2014, her
parents, brothers: Karsten,
Herman & Harvey; and
her sisters: Sophie Meli-
gan, Minnie Gudvangen,
Bertha Fredrickson, Sena
Barden, Pena Barden,
Josephine Berger & Laura
Furness.
“She was a small but
mighty redhead, and she
will be missed”.
Funeral: Private Ser-
vices will be held in West
Funeral Home, West Far-
go.
Interment: Riverview
Cemetery, Williston.
West Funeral Home &
Life Tribute Center
westfuneralhome.com.