Clive Kirkham Calder

Clive Kirkham Calder 12/17/18 ~ 9/21/06 Clive Calder of Bountiful passed away peacefully at home Thursday, September 21, 2006 after a courageous battle against cancer. He was 87. Leah, the love of his life and wife of 68 years, held him in her arms to the very end. Clive was born and raised in Vernal, Utah, the youngest of Pontha and Rosella Soffe Calder's five sons. There were also three daughters. Happily, the youngest, Dona Abeg-glen is still among us. He graduated from Uintah High School, excelling in academics and music as saxophonist and head drum major. He attended Brigham Young University. Clive worked at "Calder's Creamery," the family business in his younger days. His driving of it's "semi," the first in eastern Utah, sparked his fascination with 18-wheelers. His spiffy new $620 Ford Roadster with rumble-seat and lay-down windshield sparked a similar fascination with "neat cars." These two passions would ultimately steer his career path. But career had to await the call of adventure. On a dare, he and a buddy jumped a freight for L.A., missed a link, and ended up in Vegas. Broke and hungry, they managed to snare a construction job on the new Hoover Dam. But Clive's dad got wind of his whereabouts and dispatched older brother, Sam, and a friend to retrieve him. Serendipitously, that friend was Leah Moulton's cousin. The trio's stop in Heber on the return to Vernal, became the first chapter in Clive and Leah's 70 year love story. They married in the Salt Lake Temple May 10, 1939. World War II didn't deter them starting their family. Clive joined the Navy in '39 and was trained as a pilot. Though his flying squadron was disbanded, he continued service aboard-ship during the deadly pitch of several epic battles in the South Pacific. Back home, Leah saw to the early raising of Douglas (now 66) and Gary (now 64). They were later blessed with Phillip (now 60), Stephen (now 55) and the "apple of Clive's eye" Colleen (now 45). Also, he shamelessly doted, from first to the newest, on each of his 16 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchil-dren. In '46 Clive was a founding member of the world's first all-volunteer, all four-wheel drive search and rescue organization, "The Official Bountiful City Jeep Posse." They continue to serve Utahans today. Their life-saving missions are the stuff of local legend. He owned the first Jeep sales franchise in the western states at 2nd North and Main in Bountiful and later operated his own 18-wheeler across the entire U.S. After his so-called "retirement" his "Calder Mini-Car Productions" enchanted children of all ages. The Shriner's still tool around, fez tassels flying, in Clive's little cars. He loved hunting and fishing with his brothers, sons, grandkids, and friends, and was a fixture on Diamond Mountain above Vernal. He was a man of action, generosity and humor. Mere words cannot describe how much he will be missed. Funeral services are Tuesday, September 26, 2006, 11 a.m. at the Bountiful Tabernacle, 51 S. Main St, Bountiful. All are invited to the church beforehand from 9:45-10:45 a.m. Burial will be at the Bountiful Cemetery. All are also invited to attend an evening viewing the night before from 6-8 p.m. at Russon Brothers Funeral Home, 295 N. Main, Bountiful. Online guest book at www.russonmortuary.com