Clifford Boman
Clifford Boman passed away peacefully at Ponoka Community Health Centre on April 3, 2012. He was born July 29, 1919, on the family farm in the Swedish community of Water Glen, east of Ponoka. He farmed there all of his life, in his early years working with horses alongside his father, Henry. As well as a time of milking cows by hand and raising pigs and chickens, there were always crops to be sown and harvested, and always a herd of cattle to be tended, mainly red-white faced Herefords. Clifford had a strong attachment to the land and he stayed actively involved with farming and operating machinery, especially the combine, until the age of 87.
Clifford was very involved in his community. This began as a young man when he operated a grader to maintain the road to Ponoka, what is now Highway 53. This was something he was able to incorporate around his farming responsibilities. In 1945 he married Tina Schultz and together they had four children. Clifford followed his father’s footsteps in municipal government as a county councillor from 1964 to 1977. As a councillor he had responsibilities for district road maintenance and construction and served on agriculture, school, and hospital boards. As well, he was a representative on Rimoka Foundation and was proud to have been part of the group that brought about the building of Reid Manor in Ponoka. Clifford participated in leadership roles in the East Ponoka 4-H beef club, supporting his children as they learned care and feeding of cattle themselves and the life skills embodied in the 4-H movement. A highlight at the end of these years was receiving an outstanding farm family award for the Ponoka area. He took over the maintenance of the Water Glen Baptist Cemetery when his father was no longer able to do so. Clifford’s son Lyle now continues to care for this cemetery.
Over the years Clifford enjoyed curling at Calumet, camping, fishing, and travelling with family and friends. Following Tina’s death he moved into a new home in Ponoka in 1987 with Gilda Riske. Together they enjoyed an active presence in the community, including many meetings with friends over coffee.
Clifford is lovingly remembered by his children, Stanley of Ponoka, Lyle (Sue) of Ponoka, Jeanette (Kevin Taft) of Edmonton, and Robert (Bradley) of Edmonton; grandchildren Jonathan (Laura) Boman, Jennifer (Andrew) Szeto, Jordan Taft, and Spencer Taft; Gilda Riske, his friend and companion of 25 years; Gilda’s children Darwin (Susan) of Ponoka, Shelley (Keith) Baier of Red Deer, and Kevin (Holly) of Ponoka, and Gilda’s grandchildren, Colleen (Corey), Christine (Rylie), Justin, Janelle (Steven), Bryan, and Kayla; great grandchildren Kalie, Kain, Carter and Zachary; sisters-in-law Martha Schultz and Mary Schultz; and numerous nieces and nephews. Clifford was predeceased by his parents, Henry and Hannah Boman, his wife Tina of 40 years, his brother Clarence, and nephew Ron Boman.
A Funeral Service was held at the Ponoka Funeral Home at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 9, 2012 with the Interment Service following at the Forest Home Cemetery. Memorial donations are gratefully accepted to Prostate Cancer Research, Palliative Care Ponoka or the Water Glen Baptist Cemetery (unregistered charity). To express condolences to Clifford’s family, please visit www.womboldfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements Entrusted To Ponoka Funeral Home
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