BOISE, Idaho - Claude Abel passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004. He was 84. Claude was born on Friday the 13th of July 1919 in Sheridan, Wyo. It was a very lucky day. He was the only child of Mary and Fay T. Abel. In 1920, his family moved to Lodge Grass where his father managed and later owned a grocery store.
Claude excelled in athletics and was very proud to have been the center for the 1935-1937 Lodge Grass Indians, a team remembered as one of the finest in Montana basketball history. The Indians amazed everyone who saw them, handily defeating nearly every squad they played, including stunned college teams. In a game played at Crow Agency, they very nearly defeated the Harlem Globetrotters. Claude also excelled in baseball. He played left field for The King and his Court professional softball team and was invited to tryout with the Chicago Cubs.
Claude graduated from Lodge Grass High School in 1937, and attended Montana State University in Bozeman. In 1940, he married his childhood sweetheart, Pat Carney. Claude and Pat's friendship and love affair is a model we all wish we could attain. It flourished for 70 years. Less than two weeks short of their 60th wedding anniversary, Pat passed away on Dec. 9, 2000.
It was on their honeymoon that Claude was notified to report to his draft board. Claude was a member of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II and served in the Battle of the Bulge. He was among the first to cross the Rhine River at Remagen. While in the Army he met Tim Babcock. They served together in England, France, Belgium, Austria and Germany. They, along with their wives, became lifelong friends. Fifty years later, Claude and Tim returned to Europe to remember and tour again with other surviving members of the 99th.
After the war, Claude worked for the Bureau of Reclamation, then accepted a position with the Kaiser-Fraiser Automobile Company, first in Willow Run, Mich., then in Long Beach, Calif., and finally in Portland, Ore. The first new car Claude and Pat owned was a 1951 Kaiser coupe that Claude supervised along the assembly line.
Nearly 50 years later, Claude and Pat drove that same car from Boise back to Portland for a Kaiser-Fraiser convention where it won three trophies. Today, the Kaiser has been restored to mint condition and remains in the family.
In 1953, Claude agreed to return to Montana and help his friend Tim expand a small trucking operation. Claude became general manager of Babcock and Lee Trucking in Billings and helped guide its growth to become one of the largest trucking operations based in Montana. He was especially proud to have managed the delivery of approximately 7,000 loads of cement to the construction site of what is now Yellowtail Dam and to attain contracts as far away as Panama. After Tim Babcock became Governor of Montana, the trucking company was sold. Claude and Pat moved to Gallup and Farmington, N.M., with Arizona Tank Lines before establishing their final home in Boise where Claude was the Managing Director of the Idaho Motor Transport Association until his retirement. But even after retirement, he worked tirelessly to repeal the Ton/Mile Tax which he found to be so inequitable. It was a battle he ultimately won.
Claude loved to play golf, fish and work in the garden. Much more than that, he loved his family. Even more than that, he loved Pat.
Claude Abel is survived by his sons, Jim (Lynne) of Billings, Rick (Heather) of Twin Falls, and Ron of Boise; eight grandchildren, Chris, Shawn, Brian, Taylor, Amanda, Ryan, Caleb and Bailey; and four great grandchildren, Madison, Aydin, Collin, and Brandon. The family is grateful to Kristi Abel of Boise for her loving support.
Memorial services will be held at Summers Funeral Home, 1205 W. Bannock St., Boise, at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 1, 2004.
Memorials may be sent to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
"Good night Dad. Good night Dad. Good night Dad. See you in the morning."
Orson Sabin owned the plot according to cemetery records.
Claude excelled in athletics and was very proud to have been the center for the 1935-1937 Lodge Grass Indians, a team remembered as one of the finest in Montana basketball history. The Indians amazed everyone who saw them, handily defeating nearly every squad they played, including stunned college teams. In a game played at Crow Agency, they very nearly defeated the Harlem Globetrotters. Claude also excelled in baseball. He played left field for The King and his Court professional softball team and was invited to tryout with the Chicago Cubs.
Claude graduated from Lodge Grass High School in 1937, and attended Montana State University in Bozeman. In 1940, he married his childhood sweetheart, Pat Carney. Claude and Pat's friendship and love affair is a model we all wish we could attain. It flourished for 70 years. Less than two weeks short of their 60th wedding anniversary, Pat passed away on Dec. 9, 2000.
It was on their honeymoon that Claude was notified to report to his draft board. Claude was a member of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II and served in the Battle of the Bulge. He was among the first to cross the Rhine River at Remagen. While in the Army he met Tim Babcock. They served together in England, France, Belgium, Austria and Germany. They, along with their wives, became lifelong friends. Fifty years later, Claude and Tim returned to Europe to remember and tour again with other surviving members of the 99th.
After the war, Claude worked for the Bureau of Reclamation, then accepted a position with the Kaiser-Fraiser Automobile Company, first in Willow Run, Mich., then in Long Beach, Calif., and finally in Portland, Ore. The first new car Claude and Pat owned was a 1951 Kaiser coupe that Claude supervised along the assembly line.
Nearly 50 years later, Claude and Pat drove that same car from Boise back to Portland for a Kaiser-Fraiser convention where it won three trophies. Today, the Kaiser has been restored to mint condition and remains in the family.
In 1953, Claude agreed to return to Montana and help his friend Tim expand a small trucking operation. Claude became general manager of Babcock and Lee Trucking in Billings and helped guide its growth to become one of the largest trucking operations based in Montana. He was especially proud to have managed the delivery of approximately 7,000 loads of cement to the construction site of what is now Yellowtail Dam and to attain contracts as far away as Panama. After Tim Babcock became Governor of Montana, the trucking company was sold. Claude and Pat moved to Gallup and Farmington, N.M., with Arizona Tank Lines before establishing their final home in Boise where Claude was the Managing Director of the Idaho Motor Transport Association until his retirement. But even after retirement, he worked tirelessly to repeal the Ton/Mile Tax which he found to be so inequitable. It was a battle he ultimately won.
Claude loved to play golf, fish and work in the garden. Much more than that, he loved his family. Even more than that, he loved Pat.
Claude Abel is survived by his sons, Jim (Lynne) of Billings, Rick (Heather) of Twin Falls, and Ron of Boise; eight grandchildren, Chris, Shawn, Brian, Taylor, Amanda, Ryan, Caleb and Bailey; and four great grandchildren, Madison, Aydin, Collin, and Brandon. The family is grateful to Kristi Abel of Boise for her loving support.
Memorial services will be held at Summers Funeral Home, 1205 W. Bannock St., Boise, at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 1, 2004.
Memorials may be sent to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
"Good night Dad. Good night Dad. Good night Dad. See you in the morning."
Orson Sabin owned the plot according to cemetery records.
BOISE, Idaho - Claude Abel passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004. He was 84. Claude was born on Friday the 13th of July 1919 in Sheridan, Wyo. It was a very lucky day. He was the only child of Mary and Fay T. Abel. In 1920, his family moved to Lodge Grass where his father managed and later owned a grocery store.
Claude excelled in athletics and was very proud to have been the center for the 1935-1937 Lodge Grass Indians, a team remembered as one of the finest in Montana basketball history. The Indians amazed everyone who saw them, handily defeating nearly every squad they played, including stunned college teams. In a game played at Crow Agency, they very nearly defeated the Harlem Globetrotters. Claude also excelled in baseball. He played left field for The King and his Court professional softball team and was invited to tryout with the Chicago Cubs.
Claude graduated from Lodge Grass High School in 1937, and attended Montana State University in Bozeman. In 1940, he married his childhood sweetheart, Pat Carney. Claude and Pat's friendship and love affair is a model we all wish we could attain. It flourished for 70 years. Less than two weeks short of their 60th wedding anniversary, Pat passed away on Dec. 9, 2000.
It was on their honeymoon that Claude was notified to report to his draft board. Claude was a member of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II and served in the Battle of the Bulge. He was among the first to cross the Rhine River at Remagen. While in the Army he met Tim Babcock. They served together in England, France, Belgium, Austria and Germany. They, along with their wives, became lifelong friends. Fifty years later, Claude and Tim returned to Europe to remember and tour again with other surviving members of the 99th.
After the war, Claude worked for the Bureau of Reclamation, then accepted a position with the Kaiser-Fraiser Automobile Company, first in Willow Run, Mich., then in Long Beach, Calif., and finally in Portland, Ore. The first new car Claude and Pat owned was a 1951 Kaiser coupe that Claude supervised along the assembly line.
Nearly 50 years later, Claude and Pat drove that same car from Boise back to Portland for a Kaiser-Fraiser convention where it won three trophies. Today, the Kaiser has been restored to mint condition and remains in the family.
In 1953, Claude agreed to return to Montana and help his friend Tim expand a small trucking operation. Claude became general manager of Babcock and Lee Trucking in Billings and helped guide its growth to become one of the largest trucking operations based in Montana. He was especially proud to have managed the delivery of approximately 7,000 loads of cement to the construction site of what is now Yellowtail Dam and to attain contracts as far away as Panama. After Tim Babcock became Governor of Montana, the trucking company was sold. Claude and Pat moved to Gallup and Farmington, N.M., with Arizona Tank Lines before establishing their final home in Boise where Claude was the Managing Director of the Idaho Motor Transport Association until his retirement. But even after retirement, he worked tirelessly to repeal the Ton/Mile Tax which he found to be so inequitable. It was a battle he ultimately won.
Claude loved to play golf, fish and work in the garden. Much more than that, he loved his family. Even more than that, he loved Pat.
Claude Abel is survived by his sons, Jim (Lynne) of Billings, Rick (Heather) of Twin Falls, and Ron of Boise; eight grandchildren, Chris, Shawn, Brian, Taylor, Amanda, Ryan, Caleb and Bailey; and four great grandchildren, Madison, Aydin, Collin, and Brandon. The family is grateful to Kristi Abel of Boise for her loving support.
Memorial services will be held at Summers Funeral Home, 1205 W. Bannock St., Boise, at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 1, 2004.
Memorials may be sent to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
"Good night Dad. Good night Dad. Good night Dad. See you in the morning."
Orson Sabin owned the plot according to cemetery records.
Claude excelled in athletics and was very proud to have been the center for the 1935-1937 Lodge Grass Indians, a team remembered as one of the finest in Montana basketball history. The Indians amazed everyone who saw them, handily defeating nearly every squad they played, including stunned college teams. In a game played at Crow Agency, they very nearly defeated the Harlem Globetrotters. Claude also excelled in baseball. He played left field for The King and his Court professional softball team and was invited to tryout with the Chicago Cubs.
Claude graduated from Lodge Grass High School in 1937, and attended Montana State University in Bozeman. In 1940, he married his childhood sweetheart, Pat Carney. Claude and Pat's friendship and love affair is a model we all wish we could attain. It flourished for 70 years. Less than two weeks short of their 60th wedding anniversary, Pat passed away on Dec. 9, 2000.
It was on their honeymoon that Claude was notified to report to his draft board. Claude was a member of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II and served in the Battle of the Bulge. He was among the first to cross the Rhine River at Remagen. While in the Army he met Tim Babcock. They served together in England, France, Belgium, Austria and Germany. They, along with their wives, became lifelong friends. Fifty years later, Claude and Tim returned to Europe to remember and tour again with other surviving members of the 99th.
After the war, Claude worked for the Bureau of Reclamation, then accepted a position with the Kaiser-Fraiser Automobile Company, first in Willow Run, Mich., then in Long Beach, Calif., and finally in Portland, Ore. The first new car Claude and Pat owned was a 1951 Kaiser coupe that Claude supervised along the assembly line.
Nearly 50 years later, Claude and Pat drove that same car from Boise back to Portland for a Kaiser-Fraiser convention where it won three trophies. Today, the Kaiser has been restored to mint condition and remains in the family.
In 1953, Claude agreed to return to Montana and help his friend Tim expand a small trucking operation. Claude became general manager of Babcock and Lee Trucking in Billings and helped guide its growth to become one of the largest trucking operations based in Montana. He was especially proud to have managed the delivery of approximately 7,000 loads of cement to the construction site of what is now Yellowtail Dam and to attain contracts as far away as Panama. After Tim Babcock became Governor of Montana, the trucking company was sold. Claude and Pat moved to Gallup and Farmington, N.M., with Arizona Tank Lines before establishing their final home in Boise where Claude was the Managing Director of the Idaho Motor Transport Association until his retirement. But even after retirement, he worked tirelessly to repeal the Ton/Mile Tax which he found to be so inequitable. It was a battle he ultimately won.
Claude loved to play golf, fish and work in the garden. Much more than that, he loved his family. Even more than that, he loved Pat.
Claude Abel is survived by his sons, Jim (Lynne) of Billings, Rick (Heather) of Twin Falls, and Ron of Boise; eight grandchildren, Chris, Shawn, Brian, Taylor, Amanda, Ryan, Caleb and Bailey; and four great grandchildren, Madison, Aydin, Collin, and Brandon. The family is grateful to Kristi Abel of Boise for her loving support.
Memorial services will be held at Summers Funeral Home, 1205 W. Bannock St., Boise, at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 1, 2004.
Memorials may be sent to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
"Good night Dad. Good night Dad. Good night Dad. See you in the morning."
Orson Sabin owned the plot according to cemetery records.
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