Clifford Edward Schleusner

Cliff was born the oldest of 11 children on his parents' homestead 30 miles north of Saco, Montana (12 miles south of the Canadian border) on February 15, 1918. He graduated from Whitewater High School in 1935 and Northern Montana College- Havre in 1941. He taught school in Box Elder for one year, then enlisted and served as a decorated member of the Army Air Force until 1946. He was in the 31st Squadron, 5th Bomb Group, Samar Island, Philippines on VJ Day, Sept. 2, 1945. After the war, he attended Montana Law School, graduating in 1951.

Cliff's legal career spanned 63 years. He worked for the US Attorney's office, the Yellowstone County Attorney's office and ran a private practice, sharing office space with George Radovich from 1980 until retirement on Dec. 31, 2014. Cliff was a true Montana outdoors man: hunting, camping, exploring, fishing, prospecting, and downhill skiing along with many other activities. Cliff was a founding member of Red Lodge Mountain and the Beartooth ski patrol and skied into his 80's, enjoying the mountains all his life. Cliff was a skilled musician, playing many instruments including his specialty, the harmonica. He played fiddle in a local bluegrass band and attended fiddle camps all over the state, even in his later years. Cliff was a life master of bridge, a chess master, a wonderfully skillful pool player and he was one of the most knowledgeable Montana historians. Cliff was a dedicated member of numerous service and fraternal organizations, including the Masonic Ashlar Lodge #29, the Masonic Scottish Rite, VFW Post #6774, and Kiwanis, to name only a few. One of the proudest moments of Cliff's life was giving a kidney to his brother Kenneth in 1966. Kenneth survived until 2012 when he died of natural causes not associated with any kidney problems.

On Feburary, 23, 2015, Cliff passed the same way he lived his life with independence, dignity, and grace, conveying his wishes to his doctors until the very end. At age 97, his death was due to complications from a fall at his home. Cliff has two surviving siblings: Idelia Vaupel, of Florida and Hattie Engstrand, of Washington. He was an honorary member of the Radovich family, spending many happy years participating in family holidays, celebrations and ski trips to Big Sky.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Kenneth and Wilbur, and sisters Margaret, Clara, and Sally. Three babies died in infancy.

Funeral services will be held April 24, at 9:15 a.m. at the Masonic Center at 1101 Broadwater Avenue, with internment at the National Veteran's Cemetery at 55 Buffalo Trail, Laurel, MT at 11 a.m. Lunch will follow at 12:30 p.m. at the Heights VFW on Anchor Street. Please no flowers. Memorials may be made to Cliff's second home, the VFW Post # 6774, 637 Anchor St., Billings, MT 59105.