Clara Payne

People often consider themselves blessed by the many events of their lives – sharing love with a spouse, caring for children and doting on grandchildren, and experiencing new adventures every day. Clara Payne was one of these special people. She had experienced great joy and great loss in her lifetime, and had the ability to empathize with both. Through her warmth and generosity, Clara exemplified all the wonderful things that a wife, mother and grandmother should be.

The year was 1918, Woodrow Wilson had been elected to his second term as President, Irving Berlin penned “God Bless America” and World War I was reaching its crescendo. On January 28, 1918, Alois and Maria (Van Besien) Bossche of Las Animas, Colorado welcomed a tiny bundle of joy into their lives with the birth of their daughter, Clara. The Bossche family would eventually grow to include 7 children of which Clara was the second oldest.

When Clara was 2, her parents decided to move their family to the rural town of Kalkaska in Northern Michigan, however, by the time they got to Grant, Michigan, her mother insisted that was as far as they were going. Grant is known for its agricultural industry, which was what they needed, since Clara’s father earned his living as a farmer. Rural living was tough and Clara often told of how her clothes were fashioned out of feed sacks, and she walked to their country schoolhouse in the winter when “the snow was up to the electrical wires.” Farm chores were not one of Clara’s favorite things to do either – she hated picking pickles and when helping her father collect the chicken eggs, she dropped many of them and by the time her father caught up with her – he could only laugh at how fast she ran. One of the perks of living on a farm though was Clara had a pet horse named Jim, whom she adored.

Although Clara didn’t like farm work, she never shied away from responsibility. As a young adult, she worked for a family on Fisk Lake as a housemaid and nanny for a young boy. She later took a job at the A&P Bakery. From 1936 to 1938, Clara’s brother, Albert was working in the Civilian Conservation Corps, and during this time he met a young man named Milton Payne. They invited Milton to their home and he met Clara for the first time. As fate would have it, the two fell in love and were happily married on October 28, 1939, in Grand Rapids. Like many new couples, there wasn’t any money for a honeymoon.

Over the next several years, Milton and Clara filled their hearts and home with the joy and busyness of 6 children: Dave (1940), Susan (1943), Laurel (1945, but died in 1951), Mary (1953), Beth (1955) and Bonnie (1959). Clara was a wonderful wife, mother and homemaker, who always put the needs of her family first. She kept the house meticulously clean, and it was only natural that having to feed a large family that Clara was a great and resourceful cook. Some of her specialties included her homemade apple pie, and her Sunday morning pancakes, which Grandpa George always came over to get his fill of. If the kids were on their best behavior, Clara would sometimes make real small pancakes for them, which they loved.

Clara and Milton started their family in a home on Fairbanks NE before moving to the northwest side of town on 10th Street. They eventually put down roots on Fremont Street, so their youngest girls could go to a better elementary school (though later that meant a longer walk to Union High School). Besides a good education, Clara felt it was important her children had a good Christian upbringing too, and they were members of the Epworth United Methodist Church. For some family fun, the Paynes rented a cottage every summer on a lake and enjoyed time together, swimming and fishing, something Clara really enjoyed. There were times that Clara would take a train to Grand Haven and just spend the day fishing.

Clara was a very smart woman, all the way back to her school days. She had a very impressive penmanship, and used it to write short stories and such later in life. Clara liked to keep her mind sharp playing Scrabble, and was a member of a Bridge Club. When her kids were growing up, Clara had a friends over every Friday to play cards, especially Cribbage. To stay physically fit, Clara enjoyed bowling on a regular basis, and walking her dogs. Over the years, several dogs called her house – home, including Tinkerbell, Sam, Pudges, Lady, and Scooter. Milton and Clara also enjoyed traveling and had been to Florida, Colorado, Alabama and Northern Michigan. In 1980, they took an unforgettable trip to Hawaii, which was a gift from Milton’s company when he retired.

Although Clara’s life was happy, it was also marked by great sorrow. She had lost her daughter Laurel when she was a child, a loss Clara never really got over. Then, in 1987, Clara’s beloved husband, Milton, died from a brain tumor, which broke her heart even more, and then her daughter, Bonnie, died in 2006. Clara even took on the responsibility for raising her grandson, Ben, despite the fact that she was in her 70's – it gave her a reason to get up in the morning.

In 2008, Clara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, though she had been suffering symptoms of it for years already. When she needed more specialized care, Clara went to live in an assisted living facility, where she created a new family of her own with stuffed animals given to her that became her new babies. She slept in the same bed with them, and never once rolled over onto them, and she always worried if they were left alone for too long. Even when her mind was robbed by the disease, Clara never forgot how much she loved music, especially by Roger Whittaker, and she’d even get up and dance when she heard it.

Clara (Bossche) Payne of Grand Rapids, MI has left her earthly home on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, to join her beloved husband, Milton, and treasured daughters, Bonnie and Laurel, after a long journey with Alzheimer’s. She will be lovingly remembered by her children: David & Barbara Payne, Susan Murray, Mary & Ken Duncan, and Beth & Joseph Fiedorowicz; 12 very special grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 17 great great grandchildren. She is also survived by one sister, Shirley & Steve Swift, and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 9, at Marne United Methodist Church, 14861 Washington Street, Marne, MI with Rev. Pat Brook officiating. Friends may visit with the family from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, January 8, at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, 1833 Plainfield NE, Grand Rapids, and on Saturday from 10-11 a.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her memory may be made to the Kent County Animal Shelter. Please visit Clara’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo with her family, or sign her online guest book if you are unable to attend.