Clifford Poach

Clifford H. Poach, 83, of Barnesville, MN, died Monday, October 13, 2014, in Clayco Care Center in Barnesville.

Clifford Harold Poach was born January 11, 1931, the ninth of eleven children of Albert and Inga (Tweet) Poach, in Tower City, ND. He grew up in a rural home outside of Glyndon, MN, where he graduated from high school. It was during these years that Clifford and his brother, Don, began a love for coin collecting. Upon graduation he attended business school in Fargo, studying bookkeeping.

In December of 1951, Clifford entered the U.S. Air Force, being stationed in Japan. After his return, he met and married Donna Plunkett in August of 1959. To this marriage three sons were born. While the boys were young the family lived in South Fargo where Clifford owned and operated a parking lot in downtown Fargo, (where he received a lot of the coins he collected), owned an apartment building and served as a member of the Air National Guard. Clifford also, worked as a mail clerk in the Post Office in downtown Fargo for many years.

In 1973, the family moved to a farm near Rollag, MN, where they started a hobby farm and the children finished school in Pelican Rapids, MN. Clifford loved his farm and was proud of living there. In his retirement years, he grew big gardens of squash, pumpkins, and gourds that he sold to local grocery stores. It was also during these years that he and Donna enjoyed playing cards and dancing. If Clifford had his way, he would have spent his entire life on the farm.

In his elderly years he moved to the Fairview Apartments and then Golden Manor in Barnesville, where he received great care from the wonderful caregivers. For the past year, he was a resident of the Clayco Care Center, where he was under the wonderful care of the Clayco staff and Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Clifford was very proud of his grandsons and all their accomplishments. He had a strong and profound faith of the King James Bible. He was also a member of VFW Post 5252, and American Legion Post 0017, both in Pelican Rapids, MN.

He is survived by his sons, Troy (Stacy Carlson) Poach, Pelican Rapids, Tom (Sharon) Poach and Trent Poach, both of Moorhead; grandsons, Lt. Tanner (Karrissa) Poach, Oklahoma City, OK, PO2 Taylor Poach, Bangor, WA, and Trevor Poach, Moorhead; stepgrandson, Sean (Stephanie Smith) Kooren, Fargo, and their daughter, Arianna; former spouse, Donna Poach, Pelican Rapids; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Arnold, Raymond, Roy, Donald, and Lloyd; sisters, Irene, Helen, Vonnie, Leona and Lorraine; daughter-in-law, Julie Poach, granddaughter, Paige Poach; and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.


A gathering of friends for Clifford will be Sunday from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, with a 7:00 PM, Prayer Service in Korsmo Funeral Chapel, Moorhead.

His memorial service will be Monday, October 20, 2014, at 2:00 PM in Korsmo Funeral Chapel, Moorhead.

Burial will take place in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN.

(Korsmo Funeral Service, Moorhead)