A big friendly bear of a man, Clem was the second son born to John and Minnie Lecher Bessler on the family farm near Enochsburg, Indiana.
He and his older brother, Ed, were his father's helpers around the farm and from an early age helped with planting and maintaining the crops as well as attending the various animals they raised. When he wasn't working around the farm, Clem attended school at Enochsburg.
Two of the Bessler brothers, Clem and Ed, each married one of the Ritzi sisters. Ed married Geraldine in 1937 and Clem married Alvina "Al" on 23 Nov 1940 at St. Michael's Church in Brookville, Indiana. He and Al had five children.
Like many other men, Clem was drafted into the Navy in WWII. He served as a shipfitter, utilizing his skills as a welder. He also did some top secret work on the atom bomb later used to end the war in Japan.
Clem was a farmer most of his life. He worked in Ohio for awhile but took ownership of the Bessler farm upon his father's retirement in 1947. In later years he and Al owned and operated Bessler Farm Equipment together with another brother, Clarence.
In 1989, Clem and Al were presented with the Hoosier Homestead Award by then Governor Evan Bayh. The Hoosier Homestead Award recognizes families with farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more. The farm remained in the Bessler family for another 22 years until it was sold in 2011.
A loving husband and father, nothing pleased Clem more than to spend time with his immediate and extended family. Everyone was always welcome to come spend time with the Besslers on the farm. One of the highlights of a visit with them was a ride upon the "Roadrunner Special," a conglomeration of old parts he salvaged from various machinery and assembled into an animated four-wheeled vehicle that did absolutely nothing but delight his young visitors. The Roadrunner was a familiar feature of many parades in Oldenburg.
Upon his retirement, Clem and Al enjoyed traveling especially throughout the Southwest. He and Al both had beautiful jewelry made of turquoise that they collected on their travels. Clem also had an interesting collection of barbed wire that he compiled over the years.
Clem died of emphysema. Funeral services were conducted at Holy Family and he is buried in the church cemetery. He was 85.
He and his older brother, Ed, were his father's helpers around the farm and from an early age helped with planting and maintaining the crops as well as attending the various animals they raised. When he wasn't working around the farm, Clem attended school at Enochsburg.
Two of the Bessler brothers, Clem and Ed, each married one of the Ritzi sisters. Ed married Geraldine in 1937 and Clem married Alvina "Al" on 23 Nov 1940 at St. Michael's Church in Brookville, Indiana. He and Al had five children.
Like many other men, Clem was drafted into the Navy in WWII. He served as a shipfitter, utilizing his skills as a welder. He also did some top secret work on the atom bomb later used to end the war in Japan.
Clem was a farmer most of his life. He worked in Ohio for awhile but took ownership of the Bessler farm upon his father's retirement in 1947. In later years he and Al owned and operated Bessler Farm Equipment together with another brother, Clarence.
In 1989, Clem and Al were presented with the Hoosier Homestead Award by then Governor Evan Bayh. The Hoosier Homestead Award recognizes families with farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more. The farm remained in the Bessler family for another 22 years until it was sold in 2011.
A loving husband and father, nothing pleased Clem more than to spend time with his immediate and extended family. Everyone was always welcome to come spend time with the Besslers on the farm. One of the highlights of a visit with them was a ride upon the "Roadrunner Special," a conglomeration of old parts he salvaged from various machinery and assembled into an animated four-wheeled vehicle that did absolutely nothing but delight his young visitors. The Roadrunner was a familiar feature of many parades in Oldenburg.
Upon his retirement, Clem and Al enjoyed traveling especially throughout the Southwest. He and Al both had beautiful jewelry made of turquoise that they collected on their travels. Clem also had an interesting collection of barbed wire that he compiled over the years.
Clem died of emphysema. Funeral services were conducted at Holy Family and he is buried in the church cemetery. He was 85.
A big friendly bear of a man, Clem was the second son born to John and Minnie Lecher Bessler on the family farm near Enochsburg, Indiana.
He and his older brother, Ed, were his father's helpers around the farm and from an early age helped with planting and maintaining the crops as well as attending the various animals they raised. When he wasn't working around the farm, Clem attended school at Enochsburg.
Two of the Bessler brothers, Clem and Ed, each married one of the Ritzi sisters. Ed married Geraldine in 1937 and Clem married Alvina "Al" on 23 Nov 1940 at St. Michael's Church in Brookville, Indiana. He and Al had five children.
Like many other men, Clem was drafted into the Navy in WWII. He served as a shipfitter, utilizing his skills as a welder. He also did some top secret work on the atom bomb later used to end the war in Japan.
Clem was a farmer most of his life. He worked in Ohio for awhile but took ownership of the Bessler farm upon his father's retirement in 1947. In later years he and Al owned and operated Bessler Farm Equipment together with another brother, Clarence.
In 1989, Clem and Al were presented with the Hoosier Homestead Award by then Governor Evan Bayh. The Hoosier Homestead Award recognizes families with farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more. The farm remained in the Bessler family for another 22 years until it was sold in 2011.
A loving husband and father, nothing pleased Clem more than to spend time with his immediate and extended family. Everyone was always welcome to come spend time with the Besslers on the farm. One of the highlights of a visit with them was a ride upon the "Roadrunner Special," a conglomeration of old parts he salvaged from various machinery and assembled into an animated four-wheeled vehicle that did absolutely nothing but delight his young visitors. The Roadrunner was a familiar feature of many parades in Oldenburg.
Upon his retirement, Clem and Al enjoyed traveling especially throughout the Southwest. He and Al both had beautiful jewelry made of turquoise that they collected on their travels. Clem also had an interesting collection of barbed wire that he compiled over the years.
Clem died of emphysema. Funeral services were conducted at Holy Family and he is buried in the church cemetery. He was 85.
He and his older brother, Ed, were his father's helpers around the farm and from an early age helped with planting and maintaining the crops as well as attending the various animals they raised. When he wasn't working around the farm, Clem attended school at Enochsburg.
Two of the Bessler brothers, Clem and Ed, each married one of the Ritzi sisters. Ed married Geraldine in 1937 and Clem married Alvina "Al" on 23 Nov 1940 at St. Michael's Church in Brookville, Indiana. He and Al had five children.
Like many other men, Clem was drafted into the Navy in WWII. He served as a shipfitter, utilizing his skills as a welder. He also did some top secret work on the atom bomb later used to end the war in Japan.
Clem was a farmer most of his life. He worked in Ohio for awhile but took ownership of the Bessler farm upon his father's retirement in 1947. In later years he and Al owned and operated Bessler Farm Equipment together with another brother, Clarence.
In 1989, Clem and Al were presented with the Hoosier Homestead Award by then Governor Evan Bayh. The Hoosier Homestead Award recognizes families with farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more. The farm remained in the Bessler family for another 22 years until it was sold in 2011.
A loving husband and father, nothing pleased Clem more than to spend time with his immediate and extended family. Everyone was always welcome to come spend time with the Besslers on the farm. One of the highlights of a visit with them was a ride upon the "Roadrunner Special," a conglomeration of old parts he salvaged from various machinery and assembled into an animated four-wheeled vehicle that did absolutely nothing but delight his young visitors. The Roadrunner was a familiar feature of many parades in Oldenburg.
Upon his retirement, Clem and Al enjoyed traveling especially throughout the Southwest. He and Al both had beautiful jewelry made of turquoise that they collected on their travels. Clem also had an interesting collection of barbed wire that he compiled over the years.
Clem died of emphysema. Funeral services were conducted at Holy Family and he is buried in the church cemetery. He was 85.
Family Members
Siblings
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MoMM1 Edgar Anthony "Ed" Bessler
1913–1944
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Marcella Josephine Sister Agnes Bessler
1914–1938
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Alfrieda Magdalena "Frieda" Bessler Spiegel
1917–2013
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Catherine Theresa "Kay & KK" Bessler
1919–1953
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Clarence Frank "Dick" Bessler
1922–1980
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Leona Estella Bessler Kellerman
1928–2003
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Ruth Ann Bessler Bretnitz
1932–2014
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