Lowell F. Caulkins

Lowell F. Caulkins, 91, Fairmount, ND, died Saturday, October 10, 2009, at his residence.      Funeral services were Wednesday, October 14, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bethany Methodist Church in LaMars Township, ND, with Rev. Fern Bailey officiating.  Music was provided by organist Nancy Jastram and vocalist Janny Pohl.         Burial was in the Lake View Cemetery, White Rock, SD.  Military honors were provided by the Read-Veflin American Legion Post 180 of New Effington, SD.  Honorary pallbearers were all of Lowell's friends and neighbors.  Active pallbearers were Danny Walter, Bruce Sturgess, Gary Osborn, Rick Snyder, Steve Jastram, and Ray McLaren.         Visitation was Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. followed by a Masonic service at 7:00 p.m. by the Fairmount Tri-State Masonic Lodge #37 at the Eggers Funeral Home in Rosholt.  Visitation continued Wednesday one hour prior to the service at the church.         Lowell Fern was born August 12, 1918, in Bordulac, ND.  He was the second child born to Orin Fern and Hazel (Mourer) Caulkins.  The family returned to Greendale Township, ND, in 1920.  They moved to the farm that Lowell presently lived on in 1928.         Lowell graduated from Wahpeton High School in 1935.  That summer he went to Washington State to pick strawberries.  He worked on the construction of the White Rock Dam.  In 1941 he went to California and worked for the Lockheed Aircraft Company.      While in California, Lowell married Christine Cora Matteson on May 16, 1942, in Hollywood, and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps that fall.  He was a B-17 and B-29 crew member during World War II.            After his discharge in 1946, Lowell worked as an auto mechanic in Wahpeton, ND, Breckenridge, MN, and Wyndmere, ND.  In 1948 Lowell went back to the farm and was a farmer for the remainder of his life.  He was working at Minn-Dak sugar beet factory when Cora suffered a stroke which caused him to retire early to take care of her.  Cora passed away on March 20, 1985.         Lowell was an avid reader; it took a lot to keep him supplied with books.  His happiest memories were of Alaska fishing with his cousin, Carl Caulkins.  In the later years, he faithfully cared for his garden spots and loved giving sweet corn to family and friends.  God forbid you offered to pay him!!            Lowell was a responsible husband and loving father whose life was dedicated to caring for his wife and daughter.         Lowell is survived by daughter, Margie Jo (Myron) Kluge of Hankinson, ND; two granddaughters, Wendy (Lloyd) Moore of Dupont, WA, and Leann Stavig of Watertown, SD; one grandson, John Louis Pervin III of Spring Valley, MN; seven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mildred Davis of Virginia, MN, and Bethel Caulkins (Harvey Glanzer) of Mineral Point, WI; and many friends and neighbors of LaMars Township.         Lowell was preceded in death by his parents, wife, and sister Cleo.