Clarice LaVerne Astrup, 91, of Fargo, ND, was called home to heaven on June 26, 2017, at Bethany Retirement Living. Clarice Rutherford was born on the family farm near Nash, ND on May 20, 1926 to John and Johanna (Dahl) Rutherford. She was the youngest of 11 siblings. She attended school in a one-room schoolhouse for eight years and completed her education in Grafton, ND. She then graduated from the New York Hairdressing Academy in 1946.

She loved to travel and lived in Colorado, Arizona and California before meeting a charming farmer, Donovan Astrup, at the Crystal Ballroom in Fargo. They were married three months later on March 31, 1957, at First Lutheran Church in Fargo and moved to his home in Grenora, ND where they farmed for five years. In 1962, they bought a farm north of Buffalo, ND and raised their two daughters, Karen and Joni there.

Clarice loved spending time with her family, and being a farmer’s wife. She always enjoyed a drive to see the crops and talk with her neighbors. In 1974, after Donovan tragically died, she and Karen and Joni moved to Drayton, ND to be near family. She made her final home in Fargo in 1978 and made many lasting friendships there.

Clarice worked for 10 years in food service at NDSU and was proud of her 30 years of volunteer work at Sanford Hospital, delivering flowers. She loved her Lord and was a devoted mother, grandmother and faithful friend. She had a soft spot for children and dogs.

She is survived by her daughters, Karen Urlacher (Glenn), and Joni Astrup; three grandchildren and one great granddaughter, with another baby due in October. She is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Corrine Astrup and Arline Astrup and many special nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donovan, parents and all of her siblings, Delbert Rutherford, Leona Rutherford, Joe Rutherford, Nick Rutherford, Alfreda Voorhees, Harriet Rutherford, Mabel Holler, Kenny Rutherford, Gladys Brosseau, and Jim Rutherford.

Adapted from Boulger Funeral Home obituary

Clarice LaVerne Rutherford was born on the family farm near Nash, ND on May 20, 1926; the youngest of John and Johanna Rutherford’s 11 children. She attended school in Nash and Grafton High School, completing hairdressing school in Grafton. While working in Fargo, she met Donovan Boyd Astrup. After a whirlwind romance of 3 months, they fell in love and were married in Fargo at First Lutheran Church on March 31, 1957. Her children would often ask her later if they too could get married after knowing someone only 3 months. Her standard answer was, ”If you are also 30.”
Clarice and Donovan moved to Grenora, ND in northwestern ND, where Donovan
was reared, and farmed there for five years. On January 21, 1958, their first daughter,
Karen Lee was born. A second daughter, Joni LaVerne, joined them on June 29,
1960. In March of 1962, the family of four packed all of their belongings, including a
tractor and a playhouse Donovan had made, in the farm truck and moved to Buffalo,
ND. They bought a farm six miles NW of Buffalo and continued to farm there,
raising wheat, barley and sunflowers. The family also enjoyed having sheep, ponies,
several cats and a dog. Buffalo was a warm, friendly community and they made many friends there. Clarice kept busy at home, church and as a 4-H leader.

Clarice Laverne Rutherford Beauty College Graduate (1945)

Life suddenly changed on August 9, 1974, when Donovan was tragically killed.