Clyde Fandrich

Clyde Fandrich age 86, of Beulah, ND passed away June 7, 2025. Services will be held at 10:00 AM CT on June 21, 2025 at Zion Lutheran Church, Beulah with Pastor Kathleen Nygaard officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service at the church. Clyde will be buried at Kronthal Lutheran Cemetery, 13 miles north of Beulah.

Clyde was born to Ernest and Georgia (Howard) Fandrich on August 10, 1938 at home on the farm near Krem, ND (now a ghost town eight miles north of Hazen by Harmony Lake) Clyde lived his early years with his parents and grandparents. He was particularly fond of his grandpa, Mann Howard, who had a heart condition and was going blind. He would lead him around by the hand. When his grandfather passed in 1949 the farm was sold and his parents moved to the Maier place just south of Beulah in 1950.

He enjoyed riding his horse to country school near Krem and Beulah (his Mom taught all 12 grades in Krem) recounting numerous stories of cold winter rides. He finished high school at Beulah High School in 1956. He enjoyed sports, participating in basketball, track and baseball (helping to win the state baseball championship in 1956). He was known to be the chosen person in the group to race the other towns chosen person, always winning that case of beer. He became friends with Vernon Boeshans and played basketball in their barn loft, where he started noticing Vernon’s younger sister Patty, who he said was “cute as a bug”. They later dated and she became the love of his life until passing in 2019.

He went on to graduate from Minot State College (1960). He enjoyed his fraternity participation, making many new friendships and the many sporting events he played like baseball, wrestling, boxing, swimming, basketball and even tried scuba. He made extra money during college working at a hotel as a bell hop and lifeguard.

In 1960 he began teaching and coaching boys’ basketball in Towner, ND.

Clyde married Kathleen (Patty) Boeshans December 21, 1963. He continued to teach and coach in Towner until the end of his contract. In 1967-1968 he lived in married housing completing another degree at UND. Later in 1968 Clyde and Patty moved back to Beulah to help his Dad farm and ranch. During this time he also taught Earth Science, World Geography and World History, and enjoyed coaching junior boys’ basketball in Beulah. In 1970, he bought the Davidson farm adjoining his parents place, expanding the ranching and farming production. He retired from teaching and coaching after 30 years. Clyde began another career with West River Telephone, which he really enjoyed talking with fellow farmers on easements. He retired after 10 years. He continuing farming until his wife insisted he retire after getting run over by a tractor and trailer, along with other annoying farm mis-haps.

Clyde really loved sports, farming and ranching, with his Dad. He also loved family. After college he worked for Porter & O’Brian Engineering for a summer and was offered a career in Texas, about the same time the Air Force was hounding him to join and become a pilot. He turned down both to stay close to family and friends. He was a “homebody”. He was the guy who seemed to know a bit about every subject. One particular summer break in college, he spent on archeology digs, which became a hobby of collecting fossils, artifacts and rocks. He did not like to travel, but rather read or watch a documentary on the subject. However, he liked trips to the Grand Canyon, where family listened to non-stop information for 4 hours, on each layer of the canyon, how it was formed and what minerals it consisted of.

God and church were important to him and he attended and was on Zions finance committee for years. He enjoyed “Cowboy Church” in the outdoor AZ winters.

Clyde had a very gentle spirit, quietness and kindness about him. A very sweet, honest, and intelligent man who was loved by many. A man of few words which were generally very thought out. He was the kind of Dad who never lifted a hand but would correct through a cross look or lecture on how a mistake could have been avoided. He enjoyed many friendships but preferred to be at home with family. He was dependable and predictable. Always around…except for the time he went up on a grain bin and the ladder blew down. No one could find him until the neighbor Shawn, spotted him on top of the bin and came to his rescue.

In his later years, Clyde would sit in the AZ sun and finish an entire novel in a day. He was an avid reader and historian. He liked to talk about the “good old days”, reminiscing about old times, people and places. His memory about, place, dates, events and people was so accurate, many would seek him out for history on a specific place or person. Ancestors and genealogy became a big hobby….along with an occasional game of golf.

Clyde is survived by his children, Pamela Fandrich, (Gilbert, AZ), Mark Fandrich (Mesa, AZ), Burnell Fandrich (Beulah); Granddaughter, Alexis Fandrich (Phoenix, AZ) and Grandson, Travis Summers (wife Geneva), and great-grand daughter Kathleen Summers (Goshen IN), Sister-in-law Ella Fandrich, Brothers-in-law, Vernon (Lillian) Boeshans, Wayne (Iris) Boeshans, Jerome (Jane) Boeshans, Don (Mary) Kramer, and sisters-in-law, Bette Jane Boeshans and Mable Singer. Along with a host of other family members and friends…and a Chihuahua named Surprise.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Kathleen (Patty), parents Georgia and Ernest, and brother, Wildet; brothers-in-law, Fred “Fritz” Boeshans and Henry Singer; and sister-in-law, Sylvia Kramer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Zion Lutheran Maintenance Fund.

https://youtu.be/2W7qYj0mRmg?si=v_73mUPveWeT9yt9

Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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