Barbara E. Clappier

Barbara Ellen Cutshall Clappier passed away at home in Pembroke Pines, FL, on March 4, 2013, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 79 years old. Barbara was born to Lyle and Hazel Cutshall on May 9, 1933, in Rochester, MN.She married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Mr. Dennis Clappier, also from Rochester, on June 5, 1954.He preceded her in death on January 22, 1997.They were married for 43 wonderful years. She and Dennis had two daughters and moved extensively throughout their marriage, living in Minnesota, Colorado, California, and Arizona. Early in their marriage, Barbara worked as a supervisor of operators for Northwest Bell in Rochester. Later in life, she and her husband were co-owners of an independent phone company in Arizona, as well as a chain of successful Fast Mail Plus stores in southern California. In between, she was a loving wife, mother, and homemaker. Always present and involved in the lives of their two daughters, both she and her husband were very active in their childrens schools, extracurricular activities, and athletic teams.She and her husband served as PTA officers every year that their daughters were in school.In addition, they served as officers in both the Band and Athletic Booster Clubs during the four years that their girls were in high school.Barbara also volunteered as a troop leader in both the Brownies and Girl Scouts.As a result of their tireless service to the schools, both Barbara and Dennis were presented with an Honorary Service Award from the California Congress of Parents, Teachers, and Students. Barbara also spent countless hours volunteering in her community.She was a very active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.As President of her local Chapter, she oversaw the relocation and restoration of an historic building in Colorado, where her family lived at the time. The building remains on the States Historic Register to this day. For many summers, she volunteered her time organizing, implementing, and serving as the Director of the Elder Hostel program at Pomona-Pitzer College a position that she dearly loved. In addition, she served with vigor and enthusiasm as a Pink Lady at the community hospital and in the Womens Auxilary at the familys church in both Colorado and California. When not serving the community, she was a voracious reader who loved the Arts, gardening, sports, nature, and talking with people. Always the consummate wife, mother, and homemaker, Barbara was an excellent gourmet cook and loved preparing meals for family and friends. Her generous heart filled her home with love, fun, family, and many friends which was exemplified by her attitude that there was always room for one more.Of all of her accomplishments, however, Barbaras greatest achievements have been in the lives of her family. She leaves her daughters, their spouses, and grandchild with the knowledge that they were truly loved. She is survived by her two daughters Denise (Tom) Logan and Pamela (Gina Covone) Clappier, all of Pembroke Pines, FL; a grandson that she utterly adored, Nicolas Covone, of Pembroke Pines; and siblings Nancy (Richard) Evjen, Patricia Klindsworth, of Rochester, MN; Carol Nordberg, of Dunnellen, FL; Richard (Jean) Hunter, Jean Wiltsey, of Rochester, MN; Mary Holmquist, of Lolo, MT; and Janet (Dave) Cobb, of De Pere, WI; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews all of whom she loved dearly. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, Lyle and Hazel Cutshall; her step-mother Alice Hunter Cutshall; and sister Marion (Lloyd) Larson. A memorial service for Barbara Clappier will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, 2013, at the Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home, 5421 Royal Place NW, Rochester, MN.www.ranfranzandvinefh.com The burial will take place at a later date.