Roger Wayne Clawson

Roger Wayne Clawson was born in Hardin on Aug. 6, 1942, the seventh child of Clara and Harry Clawson. Roger passed away on Oct. 4, 2015, at age 73, of multi organ failure. He grew up in Custer, graduating from Custer High in 1960. Roger was a National Merit Scholar and attended the University of Montana and Eastern Montana College and graduated from Northern State University (Aberdeen, S.D.) with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a teaching certificate.

But Roger's true love was words. He learned to read at the age of four and loved books all his life. His first reporting job was with the Rock Springs, Wyo., Rocket Miner. He owned a weekly paper in Bridger with his friend, Gary Svee. He also worked as a journalist in Albuquerque, N.M., and Peoria, Ill. Roger joined The Billings Gazette in the early 1970s. He eventually wrote two columns a week and became city editor.

Roger relished the controversy he sometimes caused. Both his address and phone number were public knowledge. When he wrote against the wholesale killing of coyotes, an irate sheep rancher left a dead lamb on his doorstep.

Less controversial and loved by his readers were his tales about the Old Poacher, his father, Harry Clawson. Beaver, antelope, deer, prairie chickens, all appeared on the family table.

Roger and friend, Gary Svee, won the prestigious Alicia Patterson award in Journalism for their coverage of coal development in eastern Montana. Roger wrote a weekly column for the Billings Outpost until shortly before his death.

After leaving the Gazette, Roger formed his own publishing company, The Prose Works. With watercolorist Bernadine Fox, he produced a history of Pompeys Pillar as well as "Yellowstone Reflections," an illustrated essay on canoeing the Yellowstone River. He also wrote a high school textbook of Montana history, illustrated by John Potter. Schools all over Montana used the book, which had two printings.

God gave Roger itchy feet. After high school, he spent time in France, where he ran out of francs in Marseille. One of his aunts wired him the money to get home. He later made many trips to Mexico and Central America, canoed the Amazon, climbed the Andes to Machu Pichu, sailed to the Galapagos Islands and explored the Arctic. He was also an avid birder. Roger was also a 31-year member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He helped many other people in sobriety.

He was preceded in death by his son, Wayne; by his parents; his six siblings, Margaret Davis, Mitchell Clawson, Maxine Bochy, Joy Daem, Kenneth Clawson and Carroll Gene (Mike) Clawson. He is survived by his son Slade; his friends Sharie Pyke, Harry Moccasin and Fred LaBeau; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Roger was adopted into the Crow tribe by Lorraine Real Bird Moccasin and named "Bachee Baahchiilash," A Man of Good Fortune in English. Roger was a member of the Whistling Water Clan and a Newly Made Lodge kid. Besides his brother Harry, who helped take care of him to the end, his Moccasin brothers and sisters include Nellevette Moccasin, Wayne Moccasin, Veda Rock Above, Joyce Moccasin, Helen Crooked Arm, Loretta Johnson, Lana Moccasin and Connie Moccasin. He is also survived by his Crow daughter, Amy Howe, and his grandchildren, Chelsea Taylor, Marcellus Brown and little Joshua. Roger's sole surviving aunt and uncle of the Real Bird family are sister and brother, Margo and Chuck Real Bird.

Rite of Christian Burial will be at noon Oct. 13 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, corner of Second Avenue North and North 33rd Street with lunch to follow. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Yellowstone Audubon Society or charity of your choice.