Boutelle, Clarence M. – Died 1903

BOUTELLE, KIMBER

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:46

Source: Decorah Republican Sept. 17, 1903 Page 2 Col 3

Prof. Clarence M. Boutelle, Dead.
A telegram to the REPUBLICAN from M. W. Harden, at Marshall, Minn., this morning, brings the intelligence that Prof. Clarence M. Boutelle had died from appoplexy, and that interment will be made at Lake City. For a number of years Prof. Boutelle was superintendent of our city schools. Although he has been from Decorah nearly ten years, he has always cherished a warm place in his heart for his old friends and manifested it by retaining his membership here in several fraternal societies to which he belonged. The sympathy of many acquaintances go out to his family in their bereavement.

Source: Decorah Republican Sept. 24, 1903 Page 2 Col 4

His Death Sudden and Unexpected.
From one of the Marshall, Minn. papers we learn that the death of Prof. Clarence M. Boutelle, which was recorded in last week's REPUBLICAN, was very sudden. He attended a funeral Wednesday after walking complained of not feeling well and about ten o’clock in the evening was stricken by apoplexy, dying an hour later. The funeral was held Sunday last at Lake City, Minn. Mr. Boutelle was a graduate of the Winona Normal School—probably one of its best known and most influential. He was a man of more than ordinary literary attainment and in addition to his school work had done not a little writing of various kinds

Source: Decorah Republican Oct. 1, 1903 Page 4 Col 2

The Late C. M. Boutelle.
Not until last Thursday evening did there come to us full data as to the life and death of the late Clarence Miles Boutelle. The event followed a day of unusual exertion in attendance upon the funeral of a brother Mason, and was decided to be heart failure following over-exertion.
Prof. Boutelle began his career as a teacher when a country boy by teaching a winter school, and working on a farm in summers. This enabled him to attend the State Normal School of Minnesota, from which he graduated in 1872. Two other years of preparatory work he put in at the Massachusetts School of Technology, after which he returned to the Normal School at Winona, where for nine successive years he was a member of its faculty. He also taught in Rochester, until 1885, when he came to Decorah, and was elected superintendent of our city school for seven years. While here ties of affection, friendship and society were formed that were never severed. Two years after his Decorah engagement were spent in the State Normal School at East Stroudsburg, Pa. In 1895 he was called to the superintend¬ency of the schools at Marshall, Minn. In addition to this during the later years he was associated as an instructor with the University summer school, and in other state educational work.
While living at Rochester his attention was called to Masonic fraternal work, and he was made a Mason at that point. It was a year later that he was admitted to Great Lights Lodge, of this city, in which he was successively Junior and Senior Warden and Worshipful Master. Here he also united with King Solomon’s Chapter, R. A. M., and Bouuseant Commandery, K. T., in both of which he attained to all the honors his associates could bestow. While here be also united with Winneshiek Lodge, No. 58, and Decorah Encampment No. 133, I. O. O. F., and also with Decorah Chapter No.73 of the Order of Eastern Star. He had a sincere affection for these Decorah friendships, and while he affiliated with his brother Masons and Odd Fellows wherever he resided, here was his fraternal home. He kept track of all events in Decorah, and as regularly as the year came around this office was sure to receive from him a most kindly, encouraging letter, as well as the cash for a continuance to THE DECORAH REPUBLICAN.
In 1880 Prof. Boutelle married Miss Fannie C. Kimber who, like himself was a Normal School graduate and teacher of high rank. His wife and two daughters survive him, the latter being students in the State University of Minnesota.
Thus closed a busy, useful life that might well have been spared for a score or so of usefulness; but death finished a career that for value can never be measured.