Levonne North Clapper

Levonne North Clapper passed away on June 13th, peacefully at her home ending a year and a half battle with cancer. She was born on March 25, 1929 in Seattle Washington and her first few years were spent on the family homestead near Rosebud MT with her grand parents and three uncles. When she was five, her mother Jackie married her real Dad, Stewart North who adopted her and raised her as his own. Levonne lived in Billings most of her life. She went to Billings Senior High where she was drum majorette and led the marching band, had lots of friends and fond memories. She graduated in 1947 and met her love and future husband, Bob Clapper at the swimming pool at Athletic Park. She was wearing a two piece swimming suit that had "shrunk up a bit". Their first date was July 14, 1947 but actually she first saw Bob back at McKinley Elementary school where he was the fifth grade stop and go monitor and she was in the second grade. She went to college in Missoula for a couple of years majoring in fine arts and home economics, was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and was tapped for Spurs. She said her classes in home economics did not improve her cooking skills, but she could sew anything from formal dinner jackets to a wedding dress and her art skills made her the perfect den mother.

She dated Bob during the summers and they corresponded during the school year but after he graduated from U of Colorado and moved back to Billings she decided to move back to Billings to protect her interests. They were married in April of 1950. Levonne was involved in Billings Studio Theater, Junior League, she was a volunteer at Billings Clinic and was the first president of the BL chapter PEO. Family however was Levonne and Bob's first priority. She and her "boys" loved to hike, camp, ski or just about anything outdoors. She also loved to golf at YCC and play cards with her many friends.

Levonne was preceded in death by her parents and husband. She is survived by her sons James (Karen) of North Oaks MN, Doug (Carol) of Billings, Rob (Patty) of Cedarburg WI; nine grand children and three great grand children. We want to thank her Hospice angels, especially Carol; her cancer navigator Wendy and her special walking buddy, Mona. A memorial service will be held at Mayflower Congregational Church on Friday, June 17th at 11 AM.