Oct. 4, 1941 ~ Sept. 8, 2026
He was born Oct. 4, 1941, to Pearl and Louie Stagner in Rifle, Colorado. He married the love of his life, Myrtle, on Oct. 14, 1958. A true jack-of-all-trades, Claude worked throughout his life as a miner, ranch truck driver, underground telephone line installer and heavy equipment operator. He eventually retired from Colowyo Coal Company after 25 years of dedicated service.
Claude found joy in the simple things in life. He enjoyed camping, fishing on his boat with his family, tending to his cows and working on old vehicles. Gifted with a natural mechanical mind, he never met a problem he couldn’t solve and was always finding new ways to engineer, fix or improve things to make life a little easier around his property. He had a natural ability to figure things out and took pride in the work of his hands.
He was a quiet and private man, but those who knew him best understood the depth of his love and care. He loved his wife, Myrtle, of 57 years deeply. They shared many simple and meaningful moments, including playing cards, casual drives, tending to their garden and simply spending time together. These everyday moments were a reflection of the life they built together and the love they shared.
He leaves behind a lasting example of trust in God, integrity, honesty, dependability and perseverance. His quiet strength, kind heart and unwavering devotion to his family will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
His absence will be deeply felt, but so will the memories he leaves behind—the stories, the lessons, the laughter and the countless little things that made him who he was.
He is survived by his four children, Mike, Gary (Jennifer), Cheri and Kim (Shayne); four grandchildren, Cade, Kaycee (Clayton), Taelor (Joel) and Kai (Caelee); and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Pearl and Louie; his beloved wife, Myrtle; his sister, Joy Kimberlin; and his niece, Tammy Anthony.
A celebration of life will be held Sept. 26, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the Fairfield Center in Meeker.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Claude’s memory to Cowboys Helping Cowboys, P.O. Box 775, Post, TX 79356.