By HDN staff
CLAUDE WINDECKER
COLUMBUS Claude Windecker, 92, died in Columbus of natural causes Thursday, June 22, 2000.
Cremation has taken place. Memorial is 2 p.m. Tuesday at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church in Havre.
Windecker was born in Laramie, Wyo. March 27, 1908 to Gene and Josie Windecker who homesteaded a year later at Huntley Project near Ballantine where he attended school. In 1931 he graduated from MSU.
His first job was managing Charlie Kinmonth's Hereford cattle near Billings. A job came along in the 1930s to work for Montana Extension Service as assistant agent of the Sun River Irrigation Project at Fairfield. During this time he married Georgia Thompson, who preceeded him in death Feb. 19, 2000.
After a short stint with government work, he managed commercial and registered Hereford operations for 20 years in western Montana and was instrumental in promoting Hereford cattle organizations and sales. Ranches he operated were Durin-Proctor Ranch Flat Creek in Augusta, Mission Ranch in Livingston, Jumping Horse Stock Ranch in Ennis, and Old Sappington Ranch in Willow Creek.
In 1957 he was named superintendent of North Montana Branch Experiment Station Fort Assinniboine in Havre where he spent 19 years until his retirement. The couple moved to their home in Havre to follow his life-long passions for fishing, refinishing furnature and helping friends with ranch operation plans, especially animal breeding systems.
Windecker was a member of Van Orsdel Methodist Church, Masonic Lodge and Royal Arch Masons, Elks and Kiwanis.
Surviving family include his sister, Helen Funk of Friday Harbor, Wash.; two sons, Neill Windecker of Cascade and Clyde Windecker of Absarokee; two grandchildren, one great-granddaughter, and two step-grandsons.
Memorials are suggested to MSU-Northern Agriculture Scholarship Fund, PO Box 1691, Havre, MT 59501 or Van Orsdel Methodist Church, PO Box 606, Havre, MT 59501.
Arrangements were made by Cremation or Funeral Gallery in Billings.
