Thad Walton

Thad "Hank" Walton, age 83, of Clearbrook, MN, passed away on Thursday (July 21st) at the Clearwater County Memorial Hospital in Bagley, MN. Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday (July 26th) at the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home in Fosston with the Rev. Bob Kelly officiating. Flag presentation will be provided by the Melvin Johnson American Legion American Legion Post #256 of Clearbrook. Arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston and messages of condolence may be sent at carlinhoialmen.com.Thad was born on September 25, 1927, to Theodore and Grace (Kohlmeyer) Walton in Norwalk, Ohio.  He lived with his family in Norwalk until 1941 when they moved to Northern Arkansas.  The family moved to several different places during the Great Depression following work.  In 1944, he went to work for Beech Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas, and 1945, he moved with his family to Southern Orgeon where they stayed.  He worked in sawmill until he turned 18 and joined the Army.  He was discharged in 1947 and following that worked in the sawmills, drove log truck, and fell timbers.  Hank was very proud of his truck driving abilities and loved to tell about the harrowing roads that he drove on out in the Oregon Mountains.On June 23, 1951, Thad married the love of his life, Mamie Claudine Smith, in Ashland, Oregon.  Truly a match made in Heaven.  Thad and Mamie lived in Williams and Cave Junction, Oregon, and he worked for Broer Grocery Co. For several years delivering wholesale groceries in Oregon and California.  He loved being outdoors and being with his family, working all week and spending every moment with his family when he was home.  In 1974, Thad and Mamie moved to Gully, Minnesota, where they resided until they moved to their current home in Clearbrook, Minnesota, in 1983.  Hank loved working in the garden, fishing, and in recent years making knives for all of his friends and family.  He was a master at knife making.  But above anything, he enjoyed being with all of his many children and grandchildren and the many friends that he and Mamie have made over the years.  He will be greatly remembered for what a hard working, loving man, he was and his great sense of humor and quick wit.  He was truly one of a kind.Thad is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mamie, and nine children: Carol Sauer of Grants Pass, OR; Kathryn (Donald) Geray of Mahnomen, MN; Margaret (Franklin) Buer of Trail, MN; Samuel (Dorothy) Walton of Gully, MN; Peter Walton of Trail, MN; Anna (Harold) Sweno of Gully, MN; Joe (Krista) Walton of Trail, MN; Jacob (Marti) Walton of Grants Pass, OR; and Sarah (Michael) Emery of Leonard, MN; 26 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.  One sister, Jeanne Cole of Sacramento, CA.He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Viola Lynn Walton; and one sister Joan Wolfe.