Hubert Clement

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Hubert A. Clement, 100, of Miller, passed away Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Society in Miller.

Private family funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Miller.  Burial with military honors will follow at St. Ann’s Cemetery, Miller.  Extended family and friends are invited to pray the rosary at 10:00 a.m. and watch the funeral livestreamed at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, January 7th.  

Hubert (Hubie) Aloysious Clement was born July 4, 1920, at Van Wert, Ohio, the son of Hubert John and Elizabeth (Klausing) Clement.  During the spring of 1925, the family moved to South Dakota and settled in the Polo area.  Hubert attended school in Polo and helped his parents on the farm.  In 1940, he traveled to Fort Townsend, Washington and worked in a paper mill.  Upon his return to South Dakota in 1941, he started farming and was also employed by the State of South Dakota to maintain roads. 

Hubert is a veteran of World War II and Korean War.  While in the service he was stationed in Kentucky, New Jersey, Germany, Colorado, and Alaska.  After an honorable discharge in 1947, he returned to Miller and was employed by Paulson’s Electric as an electrician.  During September 2018 Hubert along with daughter Joan were selected by Midwest Honor Flight to receive an all expense paid airline flight to our nation’s capital Washington, DC to visit memorials dedicated to honor the service to themselves and fellow Veterans. He was a life-long member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion.

Hubert married Elizabeth (Betty) Gottwald on June 28, 1949 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Miller.  At that time he became an independent ditch digger of wires and pipes in the Miller area.  In 1953 he rented farmland north of Miller and started farming.  In 1958 he purchased a farm northeast of St. Lawrence.  He and his family lived on this farm until 1982 when they moved to Miller.  His love for the land continued, and he actively managed his farming enterprise for many years.  His life-long pleasures were farming, hunting, fishing, gardening, Minnesota Twins and Vikings, and BINGO.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, Good Samaritan-Miller hosted Hubert’s 100^th milestone centennial birthday celebration on July 4, 2020.  Ron Blachford, Mayor of the City of Miller designated July 4 as “Hubert Clement Day.”  South Dakota Health Care Association and KELO TV recognized him as Century Club member. The Miller Press featured his life’s story on front-page edition July 4, 2020.  Family, friends, and politicians throughout South Dakota and the nation honored him with birthday cards, photos, memories and well wishes.

Hubert was a member of the St. Ann Catholic Church in Miller, where he was a member of the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Order of Foresters.  While residing at Good Samaritan-Miller, his TV was tuned into daily Mass and rosary on Channel 20.

Hubert is survived by five daughters: Dianne Gropper (Jim) of Huron; Mary Wilson (Mark) of Gilbert, AZ; Janet Mastalir (John) of Las Vegas, NV; Lois VanLent (Tom) of Tallahassee, FL; and Joan of Gettysburg; four sons: Ken (Julie) of Presho; Charles of Madison; Brian of Mitchell; and Brad of St. Lawrence; as well as sister-in-law, Dolores Clement of Orient; nine grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and many, many nieces and nephews.

Hubert is preceded in death by his wife, Betty, parents; Hubert J. and Elizabeth; two sisters, Valeta Hardes and Lenore Venjohn; and six brothers: Bernard, Richard, Ernest, John, Paul, and Louis.

Memorials are preferred to “Hubert A. and Elizabeth Gottwald Clement Family Endowment.”  Donations may be mailed to Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota; 523 North Duluth Avenue; Sioux Falls, SD 57104 or may be directed to Dianne Clement Gropper; 534 Utah Avenue SE; Huron, SD 57350.  Please note on your donation “Hubert A. and Elizabeth Gottwald Clement Family Endowment.”  This perpetual endowment benefits St. Ann Catholic Church in Miller, SD.  Information about Catholic Community Foundation and on-line gifting available at https://ccfesd.org/give-now

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Hubie’s arrangements.