Clarence Olfert

Clarence Olfert, 91, of Billings, MT died August, 6, 2011, at St Vincent's Hospital.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, August 10 from 2 – 8 PM at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, Billings, MT. Funeral services will be held August 11 at 10 AM at West Side Baptist Church, 323 South 32nd St. West in Billings. Burial will take place August 12 at 2 PM in Greenwood Cemetery in Wolf Point, MT.

Clarence was born June 20, 1920, to David and Agnes (Schultz) Olfert at their rural home in Lustre, Mont. He received his education in a local country school and also attended the Lustre Bible Academy.

January 1, 1942. Clarence married and Esther Nickel. Eleven months later Clarence was drafted into the U.S. Army and served with the 59th Armored Infantry in the European Theater during WWII. Upon his discharge in 1945, Clarence returned to his wife and the one year-old daughter (Arlene) he had never met. He began his career as a grain buyer for the Equity Cooperative Elevator in Wolf Point, MT, becoming manager in 1959.

Clarence was very active in the Montana Grain Growers Association and Northeast Montana Elevator Association serving as President for both associations. One accomplishment Clarence was especially proud of was his role in promoting and organizing Montana's first 52 unit grain train for foreign export.

In 1972, Clarence was recruited by Cargill Inc., to oversee construction of a new grain terminal in Wolf Point designed to load unit trains. Upon completion of construction, Clarence managed the facility until his retirement in 1982.

Clarence and Esther moved to Billings, MT in 2005 and enjoyed visiting with their many friends who had also moved from Wolf Point. They transitioned to Bonaventure Senior Living community in 2009.

Clarence was preceded in death by his parents; four sisters: Gladys Olfert, Sara Heide, Marie Dalenburg and Edna Enzi; a brother, David Olfert; his step-mother, Anna (Peters) Olfert; a step-sister, Stella Rempel; and step-brothers: Edwin, Allen and Ron Peters.

Survivors include Clarence's four children: Arlene (Jim) Holmes of Waverly Hall, GA.; Bill (Joyce) Olfert of Olympia, WA; Delores (Allan) Dancer of Evanston, WY; and Dennis Olfert of Billings, MT; 6 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Frieda Olfert of Outlook, Saskatchewan; and a step-sister, Dorothy Peters of Langham, Saskatchewan.