Garrett S. Clarkson, 35, of Bowman, ND and Ludlow, SD, died on June 25, 2010.
Funeral Services for Garrett will be at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at the Harding County High School Gymnasium. Pastor Val Rush will officiate. There will be a Family and Friends service on Monday, June 28, 2010 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Bowman United Methodist Church in Bowman.
Garrett Clarkson lived life as a father, husband, lover of life, and wonderful friend. Garrett was born December 3, 1974, the husband of Nici Clarkson (Meyer), wonderful father to his two boys Brextin Clarkson (8) and Holden Clarkson (3). Garrett was born and raised in Harding County and was a Harding County Rancher through and through. He was a true athlete -- he loved basketball and played football in high school and college. After college Garrett moved home to the ranch to fulfill his dream of taking over the family ranch and went looking for another sport to participate in and excel at and found rodeo again and started bulldogging. In doing this he found a whole family of friends. He has had a great start to the rodeo season winning money at his first rodeo on his new horse "Hippie" at the Rapid City Stock Show and other rodeos this spring and winning his last rodeo at Sturgis, SD with a 3.9. Garrett also loved politics and fighting for a cause, joining many cattle producer associations and lobbing efforts for the rancher. What Garrett loved most of all was his family and friends. He and Nici found each other in 2001 and were married in less than a year on September 20, 2002 (as far as they can remember). They lived and loved together working towards a dream of living a life on the ranch. They had two sons, which Garrett loved with all his heart and was such an amazing father to them. His boys were his pride and joy, and he loved being with his family. He was the beloved son of Merton and Sue Clarkson and Lynn and Guynell Meyer and brother to Melynda Gress (Dustin) and Alicia Burghduff (the late Shawn Burgduff) and loving uncle to Tate Gress, Trevor Gress, Kylee Gress, and Dane Burghduff. He had a large famliy of Grandpa Johnson, aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws and an even bigger family of friends who loved his lighted smile and quick whit and even sometimes his politics. He will be missed always and remembered forever.