Reece F. Clevenger passed away July 29, 2019 at the tender age of 93 in Miles City, MT
He was born November 10, 1925 in Broadus, MT to Jack and Netha (Wright) Clevenger, he was an only child and while he grew to be 6’3” tall, he was born pre-mature and his mother used the kitchen stove to incubate him. Raised on a cattle ranch in Broadus/Biddle MT, he was home schooled until the 5th grade. Reece was proud that he was able to ride a horse to school in Broadus, until the family purchased a bicycle, which was then his chosen mode of transportation, until, they purchased a pick-up. He worked on the family ranch, farming and taking care of cattle until his mid-20’s. After leaving the ranch in Broadus, he lived in Glendive, before moving to Miles City where he started driving a cab and then working as a mechanic and eventually opening his own shop “Clark Street Garage”.
His shop, was a gathering place for many. His brilliance as a mechanic was second to his kind and generous heart that was always willing to help or barter for the repairs. While he loved cars, he was most passionate about his motorcycle. Reece and Stella enjoyed many trips on the Goldwing, whether it was going to Sturgis, or a day trip to Baker, Jordan or Broadus for a poker run; or a trip to the ranch to visit Andre’ and Newell. Watching them arrive, decked out in their leathers was inspiring (as they were 60+), and was a great reminder to enjoy the important things in life, family, friends and a good cup of coffee.
He was a member of both the car and motorcycle club(s). He attended countless auto swaps where he admittedly took 3 items to sell and came home with 5 “special” parts needed to fix something, as evident by the collection of cars and parts around the shop. Reece loved to attend auctions and was the master of obtaining the final bid on the $5 box of “stuff” all while enjoying the company of his friends. He also loved to visit antique shops and brought home countless treasures.
Reece and Stella loved the trips to Colorado to spend time with his daughter Andre, his grand-daughters and his many great grand-children, supporting their 4-H horse shows, rodeo’s and queen events, not to mention the holidays full of festive joy, checkers, Michigan poker (penny-anti) and home-made fudge. Reece was always surrounded by animals, from the many cats to his prize rescued Dachshund “Buster” and many other wayward animals, including the 3 resident deer on the Gumflat property. Duke and the other dogs at Cottonwood Care, assisted Reece with his transition and were the benefactor of Reece’s gentle kindness and of course, food under the table. Reece always made time for his grand-children’s events, helping someone learn the tricks of the automotive trade or just to enjoy a cup of coffee and discuss any mechanical challenges that one might encounter.
Reece is preceded in death by Stella Clevenger, Mildred Clevenger, Andre’ Philbrick , and Iva Cooksey; he is survived by his four grand-daughters Roban & (Martin) Bunting, Rita Trostel, Chelle (Scot) Wahlert and Rebecca Compher, 12 great grand-children and 19 great-great grand-children and step-children Fran (Tom) Akovenko, Carol Hultberg, Lew (Corinne) Cooksey, Vala (Jim) Shuck, Rhea (Gary) Cooksey-Dixon, Hal (Gayle) Cooksey and Reva (Richard) Reese, Twelve Grandchildren and 12 Great Grandchildren.
Family will receive friends on Thursday, August 1, 2019 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 2, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. at the Forsyth Cemetery in Forsyth. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.
Service Schedule
Family to Receive Friends
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday August 1, 2019
Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home
1717 Main Street
Miles City, Montana 59301
Funeral Service
3:00 p.m.
Friday August 2, 2019
Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home
1717 Main Street
Miles City, Montana 59301
Graveside Service
9:00 a.m.
Saturday August 3, 2019
Forsyth Cemetery
Forsyth, Montana 59327
Service Schedule
Family to Receive Friends
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday August 1, 2019
Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home
1717 Main Street
Miles City, Montana 59301
Funeral Service
3:00 p.m.
Friday August 2, 2019
Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home
1717 Main Street
Miles City, Montana 59301
Graveside Service
9:00 a.m.
Saturday August 3, 2019
Forsyth Cemetery
Forsyth, Montana 59327
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Danny Waits says
Rest in peace good sir, you were an inspiration to our community!
Shane says
Rest easy Reece! You were a great man and it was a pleasure knowing you since I was a kid! Whenever we had a flat on our bikes or anything wrong you always fixed it for us! See you on the other side!
Sandi Kohones says
So sorry to hear this. Reece was a wonderful and kind person. He will be missed.
B Dean Holmes says
Reece was a wonderful person. RIP.
M J CRANDALL says
Reece helped many a car.
Shirley Bentzen Reese says
My sincere sympathy to the family. Reece was a very good friend of my dad, Ted Dale, and they shared a lot of good times together, at Ted’s Servuce Garage. Reece was a wonderful man and so kind. May he rest in peace!
Michael Mangen says
A good man has went home. He will be missed.
Damon Wright says
Rest in peace my friend. I will never forget the kindness you had shown me and the mechanic knowledge you shared with me. I will sure miss you.
Kay Baxter says
Rest in peace Reese. Love you much. My sympathy to the family and friends. Race will be very much missed.
Kristi Dayle says
Always loved listening to all his stories! I’m sure he is fixing something in heaven right now. RIP REECE!
Dolores Meidinger Willson says
To all of Reece’s family & friends-
My sincere sympathy to all of you. Reece was a jewel and will be missed dearly.
June Opp says
To all of Reece, our thoughts and prayers go out to each of you ,we know he will be greatly missed.He was a very well known man here in Miles City.May God bless and comfort you all.
Ruben and June Opp
doris mitchell says
Reese took care of my dad’s car for many years. Stella was the nurse on my mother’s private plane ride to Minneapolis and what a ride that was. I give her credit for saving my mother’s life. Both dear and giving people full of love and compassion. But I’m sure you all know that. My deepest sympathies to one and all of the families.
sonja tomalino says
Reece was a wonderful family friend. We always said our daughter Anita got her love of cars from the inside out from Reece. Ray always brought her with him whenever he either visited or had Reece repair all of our vehicles. Thanks Reece, for great memories from motorcycle races to coffee at your home or shop.
Patricia Ebel says
Reece laughed easily and enjoyed life. He was a gentleman and a friend. He would read parts of the morning paper to us, including the comics; and we’d all laugh together. He loved the Swedish toast I brought him, from Minnesota. He would plop a cooked egg on top of the toast and cover it all with maple syrup. Delicious. Once we were pulling out of Miles City on our way to Ingomar. He was traveling a little fast. The cops pulled him over and he asked Stella if she had $5.00. She did and the fine was paid and we continued on our way. He was driving a car that took more oil than gas. He carried a few cases of oil in his trunk. Andre was my best friend, in high school and through her I got to know Reece. He was a Montana treasure!!
Randy stanhope says
Reeve was a good man loved visiting with him prayers for the family
Marla Malley says
So sorry for your loss as he was a great man and friend to the community. My dad and Reece traded parts all the time and I spent many a night watching them rig up a car to run for someone with their junk parts. His love of the Derbies around the area when he was younger, was something I’ll never forget. His wife Stella inspired me to become a nurse and I liked sitting around their house drinking coffee and reminiscing. He will be missed.
John Shevlin says
I remember Reece well, in my early days of hot rodding. He fixed a lot of transmissions in my 53 ford pickup. He was always will to help with a hot rod. Rest in peace, my old friend.
Noah Brophy says
Great and lasting memories of Reece, my friend and neighbor.
Jim Houser says
A sad bit of news. My name is Jim Houser and I met Reece way back in August of 1973. My brother and I had driven cross country from New York City. After hitting the West coast in San Diego we spent a couple of months driving from there and on up the coast to Canada.
On our return trip we blew out a piston on our 1963 VW bug about 20 miles East of Miles city. Luckily, the guy who towed our car back to Miles City dropped us off at Reece’s shop. Reece gave my brother the advice and help he needed to rebuild the engine, let us use his tools, and use his account in Billings to get the spare parts we needed.
We spent two weeks in MC, and I met a lot of great people (mostly MC girls), but many friendly sharing guys as well. Reece always stood out in my memory of that good time. He was more than kind, thoughtful, and generous (he had also loaned us a couple of hundred dollars to get back East), but he was friendly too. He was slow talking, thoughtful, and solid. One day he drove me out to what I guess was his abandoned family ranch where he had a large ‘corral’ of old cars … Hudson’s, Kaiser’s, and other models. For more than 30 years I have retained the memory of this truly fine man, fond memories. God bless him and keep him. Thank you Reece … I believe he told me his middle name was Fudge, andI always wondered where that came from.