Clifford O. Puppe

Clifford Puppe, 85, of Cavalier, North Dakota passed away at his winter home in Arizona on December 9, 2014. Funeral services will be held Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the Our Savior Lutheran Church, Cavalier, ND. Visitation will be held Wednesday, December 17th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Askew Funeral Home, Cavalier, ND. Burial will be held in the St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Crystal, ND.
Clifford Otto Puppe was born on April 7, 1929 to Otto and Clara (Reichert) Puppe in rural Crystal ND; the oldest of six children. Clifford joined the Navy during high school. He then returned to Crystal and graduated with his original class in 1949. On June 15, 1949, Clifford was married to Alice Marie Sando from rural Grafton.
Clifford attended college in Mayville, North Dakota. He started teaching in Neche, North Dakota in 1951. In 1957, Clifford and his family moved to California where he taught in New Hall for one year. He then returned to Neche where he taught, coached, and was junior high and then high school principal until 1979. After leaving Neche he went to Mapleton, North Dakota where he completed his career as an elementary principal/administrator in 1988. Clifford loved to spend time with his family and friends. He loved fishing, walking, playing cards, and watching WWE wrestling and old westerns. Cliff was involved in several park activities with some of his lifelong friends at Venture Out in Mesa, Arizona. He was also a member of the Crystal American Legion Post.
He often expressed gratitude for his educational opportunity provided by the GI Bill. Because of his childhood hardships, he had empathy for those who struggled in obtaining an education and encouraged, guided, and mentored many students through the years.
One of Clifford's favorite scriptures came from the book of Psalm 23. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Survivors include his wife, Alice; daughters: Gail (Dan) Nelson, Detroit Lakes, MN; Bonnie (William) Kokal, Miramor Lakes, FL; Clarinda (Rick) Brown, Bathgate, ND; Patty Puppe, Grass Valley, CA and son, Clinton; (Liz) Puppe, Broomfield, CO; six grandchildren: Shanna, Kalie, Melissa, Michael, Clifford and Clayton; nine great grandchildren; four siblings; Shirley Gillies, East Moline, IL, Janice Stroud and Jackie Ann Reilly, Hemet, CA and Gordon Puppe, Lompoc, CA.
Preceding him in death were his parents and brother, Lyle Puppe.