Clarence Carlton Gravseth's Obituary
Clarence (Clancy) Carlton Gravseth, our beloved brother, uncle and friend, passed away on February 7, 2011. He was 82 years old. Clancy was born in Tacoma, WA on December 8, 1928 to Norwegian parents Carl J. and Marie P. Gravseth. Raised on the family farm with his siblings Mervin, Evelyn, Lillian and Arthur, he was very proud of his Norwegian heritage and family. At an early age he was introduced to a lifelong love of music by his parents, and learned to play the guitar, mandolin, banjo, and mouth harp. -Å"I got music in me,- he liked to say. At around age eighteen, Clancy started playing lead guitar in a band called -Å"The Moonlighters- with singer Kenny Knoll and a drummer named Jim. They played for Ft. Lewis soldiers and others in the Tacoma-Seattle area for ten good years, playing Elvis Presley rock, country, and jazz. -Å"We had a nice uniform,- Clancy recalled. -Å"A gold vest, black trousers with gold stripes, white tie, and gold boots.- It was one of Clancy's fondest memories along with all the performers he met along the way. He remembered playing for Loretta Lynn and even knew her little sister Crystal (Gayle) at a young age. He played awhile in Johnny Paycheck's band at the Gaslight, met singer Hank Thompson, played for Shotgun Red, and Cowboy Copas (who died in a plane crash with Patsy Cline). He was also proud to have befriended and played guitar with country legends Buck Owens and Hank Williams. One of his most cherished memories though was running into Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn while on a trip in Virginia. They were putting their guitars away and getting ready to leave. Clancy was being a tease and wanted to go with them. Patsy told him she -Å"didn't have time...have to go.- Clancy always told this story with a huge smile on his face.
Clancy's other life included working briefly for Boeing (Seattle) and Hanford (Richland), and running a window cleaning service in south Tacoma. He liked his work, loved helping people whenever he could, and enjoyed photography. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Mervin Gravseth, and sister Evelyn Dixon. He is survived by his sister Lillian Henderson and brother Arthur Gravseth (wife Joan). He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews. He will be dearly missed by all!
What’s your fondest memory of Clarence?
What’s a lesson you learned from Clarence?
Share a story where Clarence's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Clarence you’ll never forget.
How did Clarence make you smile?