Clara Theresa (Wiegers) Loehner

In honor of a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, it is with great sadness we announce Clara Theresa Loehner, 96, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, passed away on October 18, 2023, surrounded by family. Previously, she was a longtime resident of Porterville, California.

Clara was born on April 12, 1927, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Humboldt Saskatchewan, Canada, to parents, Bernard and Josephine Wiegers. She was the ninth of 11 children, one of three girls and eight boys that grew up on a farm in the Muenster area. Growing up on the farm during the depression, was a life of great poverty and hardship, especially being just six years old when her father suddenly passed away in 1933.

Despite these difficulties, Clara found happiness and joy in the times she spent with her two sisters and two of her brothers. On cold moonlit nights, they would walk for miles across the snow drifts piled high against the woods. Here they would skate on the frozen sloughs, darting in and out of the willow trees. It was moments like this, along with wandering the many paths through the trees around the farm that gave Clara a great appreciation for nature that stuck with her all her life.

Clara worked at a pharmacy in Regina, Saskatchewan, which she continued until she married. She met her future husband, Joseph Frank Loehner, while visiting her parents’ homeland in Missouri. She must have left an indelible impression on Joseph, as he soon followed her back to Canada where they were married on August 23, 1954. Joseph took Clara back to California where they eventually settled in the Porterville area farming for many years. On the farm, there were cows, chickens, rabbits, ducks, pheasants, and even some hawks that were raised and let go in the wild. It was here they raised six children who brought them much joy and pride in their own ways and accomplishments.

It was on these two acres of land that Clara would continue her love of nature, planting gardens full of flowers, sweet peas, fruit trees, and vegetables. This led to her canning vegetables and fruit for her family to enjoy, just like her mother did for her own family. Clara got carried away one year with her canning when she planted over 100 tomato plants. Needless to say, it was fend-for-yourself while she was busy in the kitchen canning hot sauce, spaghetti sauce, and tomato sauce.

Even when on a family vacation, Clara’s love of canning continued. During a hike with her children, they stumbled upon a patch of blackberries. After picking boxes and boxes of blackberries, a trip to the store for canning supplies, led to her husband and the boys being kicked out of the trailer so her daughter, Sandra, and she could can jelly. There were of course leftovers that did not make it in the jars, so there were blackberries with and over ice cream for several days afterwards.

Clara also had a passion for crocheting and embroidering. She made Christmas ornaments and doilies. Some of these were sold at the annual bazaar the Catholic Daughters put on each year during Christmas. Clara was a member of the Catholic Daughters for over 40 years and passed on her skillfully crafted work for others to enjoy. She also crocheted a baby blanket for each of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She often remarked that she could not afford to buy things for others, but she could make treasures with her crocheting and embroidering.

Age was not something Clara let limit her. She started a new hobby at 70: fishing. She bought a one-day pass, not knowing if she would enjoy fishing. She got “HOOKED” when she caught the largest trout on the fishing trip with her son, Douglas. The next day, they were in at Walmart where she argued with the associate on why she should be able to trade in the one-day pass she bought the day before for a year license. In the end, she did not win the argument, so Clara ended up purchasing a year license that day, and many years after, as she continued fishing for 15 or more years. Clara often remarked that the mountains looked good. This was her code for “let’s go fishing.”

About two years later, relatives from Missouri came out to visit Clara’s sister-in-law “Aunt Boots.” These relatives being much, much younger than Clara, wanted to spend the day at a waterpark. Clara was ready to spend the day with them, bathing suit on and all. Clara, not being one to let anything stop her, went down a very tall waterslide that had a very steep drop with a long run off at the end. When she got to the bottom and stood up, she got an applause from others who, to their surprise, saw an older lady slide down the tallest waterslide at the park with no problem. Clara lost her husband suddenly in November 2007. Despite being alone, she continued to live on the family farm and maintain it. After a mild stroke some years later, it was decided that she should live with family. She moved into town with her son, Douglas, where she lived for four years.

In 2022, Clara moved with her son, Douglas, daughter-in-law, Lynette, and her granddaughter, Ashley, and her family to Idaho Falls, Idaho. Here, Clara was surrounded by five of her great grandchildren who referred to her as “GG.” Clara struggled with health issues over the last year, but still remained positive and participated with the family daily. On Tuesday, Clara took a turn for the worst and was administered the Last Rites by the local Catholic Priest that afternoon. After this, Clara fell into a peaceful sleep. It was the next morning, October 18th, that Clara took her last breath surrounded by family.

Clara is survived by her four sons, Henry, Brian, Joseph, and Douglas; her daughter, Sandra; 5 daughters-in-law; 1 son-in-law; 14 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren; her brother, Sylvester; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Clara was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph; her son, Kenneth; her parents, Bernard and Josephine Wiegers; her brothers, Henry, Theodore, Norbert, Vincent, Joseph, Alphonse, and Leo; her sisters, Aurelia and Mary (Sister Mary).

Services will be held at St. Anne’s Church, 368 N. F. Street, Porterville, California, on November 20, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. Reception to follow at Hillside Community Church located at 1091 W. Linda Vista, Porterville, California, just off Highway 65. Interment will be private.