Clarence Neer, 95, of Williston, passed away peacefully at his Williston residence on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home of Williston is assisting the family.
Mr. Neer was born July 10, 1923 to Clarence W. Neer and Bertha M. (Czarnetzke) Neer in Alexander, McKenzie County, North Dakota. He completed his education in that community before joining the U.S. Navy and serving on the USS Braxton in WWII for two years.
He married Sophie Gladys Gorder, November 16, 1946 in Sidney, Richland County, Montana. In 1950 they moved from Williston to Sidney where Clarence was employed by Larson Motors in the auto body department. In 1955 they moved to Poplar, Montana where he started Neer’s Body Shop. He owned and worked the business twenty-five years until moving to Williston. In 1979 he worked as an insurance adjuster for Farmer’s Unions Insurance until September, 1981.
In 1988, Sophie passed away and in August 1988 Clarence married Clara Bryant, his wife until his death.
The last few years of his life Mr. Neer attended the Lutheran Brethren Fellowship, but was a lifetime member of the Church of the Nazarene until his death. From the time of his conversion he was a devoted follower of Christ and considered a “pastor’s best friend.”
He was preceded in death by his parents; Clarence and Bertha Neer; his siblings, Helen, Gordon and Duane; his daughter-in-law, Judith A. (Ramlow) Neer and nephew, Paul Taylor.
Surviving members of the family are his sons, Allen (Diana) Neer of Caldwell, Idaho, Greg (Helen) Neer of Pella, Iowa; sister, Doretta (Emmett) Taylor of Williston, North Dakota; nephew, Greg (Tina) Taylor of Bismarck, North Dakota; five grandchildren and their spouses, three step-grandchildren and spouses, thirteen great-grand children and six step great-grandchildren.