Clifford Henry Scholten

Cliff, who had a song in his heart for ninety-three years, died on October 24, 2019, at Wesley Acres. He was born in June 1926, in Sioux County, Iowa, the oldest son of Gerrit (Gary) and Clara (Van Zandbergen) Scholten. Cliff graduated from Alton High School and enlisted in the Navy, serving as a gunner on Merchant Marine ships during World War II. He recalled sailing on two oceans in less than two years. After the Navy, he attended Westmar College on the G.I. bill, playing basketball and baseball while forming life-long friendships. During college, Cliff also started dating Anne Bartlett, the new LeMars art teacher and recent graduate of the University of Minnesota. Cliff and Anne married on a snowy December 23, 1950, in Stillwater, Minnesota.

In 1951 the couple moved to Winterset, and for fifteen years Cliff taught social studies and physical education while coaching numerous teams. He supplemented the family income by refereeing basketball games during the winters and by driving semi-trucks or managing the local pool in the summers. Starting in 1966, Cliff spent the next twenty years as the principal of Winterset High School, proudly signing the diplomas of all five of his daughters. He will be remembered as an educator who truly cared about his students, while also expecting his students to follow the rules. Cliff was very active in the Winterset community. He sang in a barbershop quartet, was in the V.F.W. and the Lions Club, and served in leadership positions at the First United Presbyterian Church. Cliff’s love of singing led to many solos at weddings, funerals, church services, and social programs. A family favorite was his singing “King of the Road” at the annual Lions Show. In retirement, Cliff and Anne enjoyed spending sixteen winters in Tucson, AZ, avoiding snow and making many new friends. On one trip with Anne, he sang solos in five different states while also playing golf with friends in those states.

Cliff is survived by his loving wife of sixty-eight years, Anne, and his daughters, Carla Anne (Channing Dutton), Cathleen Cae (Danlias) Howe, Laurel Lee (Jim Miller), Michellen Annette (Brett) Wildin, and Jacqueline Anita Thompson. He is also remembered by his brothers, Rodney (Colleen) Scholten and Jerry (Audrey) Scholten, and brother-in-law, M.G. Waitt. Cliff loved his grandchildren and happily welcomed a few boys to the family—Nathan Thompson, Luke Miller, Jack Dutton, Eric (Jaclyn) Scholten, Anne Dutton, Marie Howe, Caitlyn Howe (Dave Cowie), Rachel Thompson, and great-grandson William Scholten. Cliff was predeceased by his sister, Beverly Waitt and infant grandson, Gary Dutton. Even in death Cliff will be educating others through the donation of his body to the University of Iowa.

Cliff’s daughters will greet friends for coffee and conversation from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 27, at Winterset First United Presbyterian Church. Celebrate his life on Monday, October 28 at 10:00 a.m., in the Wesley Acres Community Room. Memorials to Wesley Good Samaritan Fund, 3524 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312 or to Anne and Cliff Scholten Math and Science Scholarship, Winterset Education Foundation, PO Box 30, Winterset, Iowa 50273.

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