3/27/1917 – 6/28/2013
Longtime Elfrida resident Clifton Leon Whetten passed away June 28, 2013, at his home, with his wife, Claudia, at his side. He was 96 years old.
Clifton was born March 27, 1917, in Taos, N.M. He was the first child of Clifford Leon Whetten and Annie Martineau Whetten, who were living in a log cabin at a lumber camp at La Madera, N.M. Clifton was born the day the president of the United States declared war on the Europeans involved in WWI.
Near the end of May, the family loaded a covered wagon with their belongings and began their journey to Chihuahua, Mexico. They eventually settled in Colonia Chuichupa, Chihuahua, Mexico, a small settlement in a high mountain valley. Clifton grew up riding horses, helping at his father’s sawmill, milking cows, as well as helping with the gardens and farm animals. He was also responsible for the range cows and calves. While living in Mexico, Clifton’s sister, Marzelle, and three brothers, Merrill, Clair and Jean, were born.
Clifton attended elementary school thru the eighth grade in Chuichupa, (known as Chupie). He enjoyed anything to do with horses, especially roping. When it was time for high school, he spent the winters down in Colonia Juarez attending the Juarez Academy, working as a school custodian to help to pay his tuition.
Upon his graduation in June 1935, he was asked if he would return to Chuichupa to teach at the elementary school. To qualify for this position, Mexican school officials required that he attend a session of summer school in nearby Pearson, taught by Mexican schoolteachers. In September, he began teaching the seventh and eighth grades. His brother, Merrill, was in his eighth-grade class.
On Aug. 4, 1936, Clifton married Lila Judd, daughter of Jerome John and Cynthia Amanda Brown Judd, also of Chuichupa. They were married in Mexico, then went to Arizona to be sealed in the Mesa LDS Temple. They eventually became the parents of five children. Their first child, a little boy, named Clifton Leon Whetten Jr., died when just 10 days old. Three daughters were born while they were still living in Mexico, Lila Lee, Cynthia Ann and Elaine.
In April 1948, Clifton, Lila and the three young girls moved to Hinckley, Utah. In June of that same year, a son, Clifford Judd Whetten, was born making the family complete. Clifton found employment as a section hand with the Union Pacific Railroad.
Later, he began working as a carpenter at Dugway Proving Grounds near Tooele, Utah. Another move in May 1951 brought the family to Orem, Utah, where he had purchased an orchard with peach, pear, apple and cherry trees, and a raspberry patch.
Clifton built a brick home for his family while he farmed, served in the LDS Church and worked as a yard man at a lumber yard. He later was appointed manager of the store.
In August 1957, his daughter, Cynthia Ann, married Ted Peacock, and then two and a half years later, he became a grandfather, a role he dearly loved. His daughter, Elaine, married Rex Sweat in 1966, Lila Lee married Howard Nichols and Judd married Susan Clark. Both of these marriages were in 1970.
From 1959 to 1964, Clifton built homes in the Orem-Provo area as well as in Lander, Wyo. In 1964, he was called by his church to serve a church-building mission in Salt Lake City. He served for two years in the Butler area, while building two big chapels. After his release from this assignment, he continued to work on church buildings for a private contractor in Salt Lake City and St. George, Utah. In Idaho and Arizona, he did additions on a hospital, schools and churches and built several churches.
In 1970, Clifton moved to Arizona to work. While working on a remodeling project at a church in San Manuel, he met Claudia Pittman. Clifton and Claudia married in September 1971 and were sealed in the Mesa temple in 1987.
In 1973, Clifton, Claudia and her two children, Shauna and Bruce, (whom he adopted and raised) moved to Elfrida, where he ran his farm, raised a family and lived until the day he died.
In 1974, Clifton and Claudia had a child together, Nathan, followed by another child, Calvin Leon, in 1975, who lived just 21 hours before passing away.
Clifton committed more than 30 years of service to the students and staff at Valley Union High School, serving in various capacities on the school board. He was also vital in bringing health care to Elfrida, working closely with longtime friend Ginger Ryan. The Chiricahua Community Health Center is now named in his honor, the Cliff Whetten Clinic.
Clifton was also an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many different capacities. He was also a member of the Sulphur Springs Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Elfrida Fire Department, the Elfrida Citizens Alliance and the local Lions Club.
Clifton is survived by his wife of 41 years, Claudia; seven children, Lila Lee (Howard) Nichols, Cynthia Ann (Ted) Peacock, Elaine (Gene) Ellis, Judd (Susan) Whetten, Shauna (Gerry) Hustin, Bruce Whetten and Nathan (Katrina) Whetten; 18 grandchildren; 56 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren; a brother, Gene (Dee Anne) Whetten; and sister-in-law, Mary Lou (Clair) Whetten.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Marzelle Brown; brothers, Merrill and Clair Whetten; sons, Clifton Leon Whetten Jr. and Calvin Leon Whetten; and grandsons, Kyle Leon Vance and Jake Tyler Whetten.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 6, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Elfrida. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. followed by a public service at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at the Elfrida Cemetery.