Johan H. Claassen

Johan H. Claassen, 80, of Great Falls, passed away on October 11, 2012, from cancer at a local hospital. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 2:00 pm, at O’Connor Memorial Chapel. Inurnment of ashes will follow at Manchester Cemetery with military honors. Cremation has taken place under the direction of O’Connor Funeral Home. Johan was born May 8, 1932 in Everly, IA to William and Meta Claassen. He attended high school in Chokio, MN before enlisting in the United Sates Army in January of 1951. He served in the Korea before being honorably discharged in 1955. He worked at the Anaconda Mining Company Smelter before moving on to work for Rainbow Meat Packing Plant in Great Falls. He then became a truck driver, working for Rice Trucking, H.F., and Johnson Keller Trucking. Following his retirement at the age of 75, he drove school bus for four years. On November 21, 1993, he was united in marriage to Twila Wood. Johan loved hunting, fishing, reading western books, and bowling. He was a Korean War veteran, lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign War, and the Eagles Lodge. He is survived by his wife, Twila Claassen of Great Falls; sons Robert (Lana) Claassen of Fort Benton and Leslie Claassen of Shelby; daughters Julie (Darryl) Gernaat of Conrad, Shelly (Jim) Lamb of Black Eagle; stepchildren Judy Catalona of Puyallup, WA, Helen Simons of Sumner, WA, Pam Mashtare of Spokane, WA, Jacquelyn Vlasak of Tacoma, WA, and Gary Lair of Coeur d’Alene, ID; sisters Betty Voytoski of Black Eagle, Peggy (Ray)Seuss of Morris, MN, Helen McNally of Morris, MN, and Lorraine (Donald) Smith of Great Falls; brothers William (Lois) Claassen of Great Falls, Harold (Karen) Claassen of Chokio, MN, Le Roy (Dodie) Claassen of Black Eagle, Elmer (Jeanine) Claassen of Alexandria, MN, and Jim (Liane) Claassen of Chokio, MN; seven grandchildren; 15 step-grandchildren; and 15 step-great-grandchildren and three step-great-great-grandchildren. He was proceeding in death by his parents, William and Meta Claassen; brother Kenneth Claassen; and sister Diane