Clyde Thomas Van Arsdale passed away on February 13, 2014 at
the age of 93 at his home in Tonasket,
Washington.  He was born in North Palmyra Township, Illinois
June 17, 1920 to Tom and Lizzie Van Arsdale.
He grew up on a farm near Eagle
Grove, Iowa the youngest
of nine siblings.  He was always busy
with riding horse, swimming in the creek, hunting and fishing.  He said by age three he was already a cowboy
and had his own horse.  He liked school
but after being thrown by a spooked horse he had health problems that caused
him to leave school by the age of 12.  Clyde remained a student for the remainder of his
life.  His continued education was the
result of his reading and his genuine interest in everyone and everything.    At age 17 he took off for Oregon,
Idaho and Wyoming working as a cowboy on cattle
ranches for a couple years.  He also
enjoyed working for his brother Dick over the years and especially when
breaking horses and working on ranches.
After his father died in 1944 his mother often lived with him until her
death in 1970.  He was very close to his
parents and family.



He married Ruth Wells in 1940 and together they raised three
children:  Danny, Sherry and Gary.  They lived in Oregon
for a few years and then moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa where for the last ten years of their marriage Clyde worked as a concrete batcher for Whelps and
McCarten.  He moved back to Oregon in 1960 and in
1961 he married Marge (Potter) Best and together they raised three children,
Kevin and Chris Best and Connie Van Arsdale.
Daughter Sherry and Son Gary spent their last year of high school living
with him in Oregon.  Clyde worked for the Forest Service in 1961
through 1963 working trails in the Wallowa
High Lakes
on horseback. While in Oregon
he spent many a day and night fighting forest fires.  He had been a fireman for the ordinance depot
outside Hermiston Oregon
for a while in the early 1940s but most of the fires he fought were in the
mountains.



Clyde and family moved many times in Oregon spending time in Lostine, Wallowa,
Woodburn, Hubbard, Burns, Fossil and Hermiston.
He worked for McBreen Trucking in Tigard as a truck driver but soon was
made the Operation Manager.  During the
time in Woodburn he also managed two gas stations, which kept his sons Kevin
and Chris busy working during their teen years. He also invested in a mobile
truck washer, which he set up at the Burns Truck Stop in Wilsonville, Oregon.  Due to health problems he retired and moved
to Fossil for a few years.  They moved to
Hermiston and Clyde was caregiver to his wife
Marge who suffered from emphysema.
Daughter Connie was there to help him, and took great care of her mother
before she passed away in 1991.



Clyde spent the next years living in his trailer home at his
son Gary's home in West Richland Washington and then in Tonasket on son Dan's
property. In 2006 he moved to Hermiston for two years before returning to marry
his dear friend Julie Pratt.  He loved
the people and town of Tonasket
and spent many hours entertaining friends and family with his story of a life
full of joy and excitement.



Clyde had many hobbies over the years including working with horses, breeding dogs, grooming a beautiful landscaped yard in Hubbard, Oregon including his bonsai collection, and most important his lifelong love of hunting and fishing which was especially enjoyed when shared with his sons.  Clyde was a member of Oregon Teamsters, Local 81, Sons of the American Legion, Squad 82, Tonasket Eagles Aerie 3002 and the National Rifle Association.



Clyde was proceeded in death by his parents and
siblings:  Paul, Opal, Ola, Roy, Dick, Toot and their
spouses and baby Eileen that died shortly after birth. He is survived by his
wife Julie Pratt and his three stepchildren, Del, Anna, and Tracy Everano, and his
children: Dan (Gloria), Sherry (Ron Bates), Gary (Joyce), Kevin Best (Kathy),
Chris Best (Kathy) and Connie Wohlcke (Van). Grandchildren:  Traci McVicker (D.R.), Tanya Esparza
(Arnold), Todd Van Arsdale (Sammee), Toya Kion, Debbie Finkbeiner (Ron), Dan
Bates (Nancy), Trevor Van Arsdale (Wendy), Crystal Best, Tommy Best, Amber
Anderson (Bill) Kasie Wardinger (Sam), Kristen Best, Ronnie Moore, Anthony
Moore, Kristina Moore.  Clyde
had 24 Great Grandchildren, four Great-Great Grandchildren, six
step-grandchildren and many nephews and nieces.



Clyde lived a fantastic
life and most of it was because of his love of life, an optimistic attitude and
a fantastic sense of humor.  Everyone who
knew him had heard at least one unfinished story due to uncontrollable and heart
felt laughter.



The family would like to thank Clyde's friends, Dr. Stangland, Frontier Home Health and Hospice and family members for their excellent care allowing Clyde to remain at home.  Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Eagles Heart Fund, Tonasket.



Join his family and friends as we celebrate his life on
earth and now his heavenly home with those who went before.  It will be held at the Eagles in Tonasket, Washington
at 2:00 p.m. Monday, February 24, 2014.