Birth date: Mar 14, 1930 Death date: May 31, 2016
Donald Clyde Clute, age 86, passed away at home on May 31, 2016. Donald was born in Oshkosh on March 14, 1930 the son of Harvey C. Clute and Claire E. Koss Clute. Donald was also raised by his stepfather Byron Smick who was a lovi Read Obituary
Tina & Cherie, Sorry for your loss. I knew your father and his Model T Ford projects and liked to hear him talk about them. My father also had a passion for Model T Fords so our fathers shared the same passion. I always liked your father, he was a friend I will miss. May God Bless you Tina and Cherie in your moment of great loss.
Your friend, John F. Kern
I bought a Model T Ford in the mid 1980s and, while I was restoring it, bought parts from classified ads in Model T Times which is how I met Don Clute. I bought a part from him, then a few more parts. Then I realized that he was quite an authority on Model T’s and really knew his stuff and was always available to answer any questions I had, so we started corresponding. He had restored several Ts and had an immense collection of spare parts. Henry Ford, who he called “Uncle Henry” was his hero.
We beame pen pals and corresponded frequently long after my T was restored and I didn’t need any more parts. I was his “T Son” and he was my “T Dad.” He looked forward to my letters and I looked forward to his. I suspect that I am probably one of the few people who could read his handwriting. His last letter to me was written a week or so before he died.
It’s hard to believe it but we had corresponded for about thirty years! In that time, Don revealed himself in his clever, knowledgeable, opinionated and often funny letters which sometimes had little cartoons in them. He was a very intelligent man and not much got by him. He had lots of opinions, but (usually) knew what he was talking about. And as years went by the letters were full of personal details about the death of his wife, which I don’t think he ever got over, and in later years, various health issues.
He was a clever man and could do just about anything. I remember he made a number of grandfather clocks for his family. He also did lots of work on his new house when he moved to Omro.
I’d get a letter from him every couple of weeks. He was prolific. Always snail mail as Don never had a computer.
A few years ago, out of the blue, Don started writing a series of letters full of fascinating details about when he was growing up. They were so interesting that I started transcribing them which turned into a 22,000 word manuscript and so I added some old photos which I borrowed from him and turned it into a booklet titled “Growing Up In The Depression” which I gave him for (I think) his 80th birthday. Thanks to Cherie for getting it printed.
We lived some distance apart as I live in eastern Maryland, so I only met him once in the late 1980s, when he and a friend came east and stopped in to see me (and my Model T). We also called each other on our birthdays.
Don was a great guy! I miss him.
“Uncle” Henry Ford may have made 15 million Model T Fords, but God only made one Donald Clute and it was my privlege and honor to have known him.
Jim Dawson
To Cherie and Greg: I am sorry for your loss. What a great life your Father/Grandfather had. I can see why you are so creative Greg. Mary Boss
my dad taught me how to drive the model t's at age 6 and we would go out riding far out in the country so we wouldnt get caught by a cop and i helped him in the garage to when he was building them and i used to give rides to the kids on the block for a dime
