Eminent Homemaker
County: Harding
Cather Clanton, Buffalo, has exhibited keen interest in many Harding County community activities. Her efforts in promoting 4-H Club activities stem from a source of endless energy and a genuine desire to help youth. She takes a personal interest in her club members and guides them as she would her own.
Willo Van Horn is the daughter of early settlers in the Harding County area. Here she grew up and married in 1924. In 1934 the Clantons moved to a ranch south of Buffalo which they developed.
Clanton’s 4-H activities began in 1950 when she became a leader in the Short Pine Punchers club. Four years later she organized the Kactus Kids 4-H club which she still leads. Seventeen members of this club have earned trips to the National Eastern 4-H Round-up in Denver, Colorado. One club member was selected to represent South Dakota at National 4-H Conference, the states highest 4-H award. In 1963 the Clanton’s were cited for outstanding club leadership and awarded a leader trip to the 4-H Round-up.
She has participated in extension home economics programs over the years. In 1934 she organized the Lone Prairie Extension Club. In 1952 she was appointed to the Harding County Extension Board. As chairman of District I she attended national meetings in North Carolina the same year.
Clanton has assisted in the promotion of many civic projects which have benefited Harding County residents. Through her position on the County and area Library Board she helped establish a mobile library to service outlying areas in the county. Her efforts in fund raising helped establish telephone service to the area.
The Clantons have three sons. Bill operates a ranch in the Buffalo area and Donald is a beef animal nutritionist in North Platte, Nebraska. Both are graduates of Colorado State. Don holds an M.S. degree from Montana State and earned his doctorate at Utah State. Lonnie was graduated from and is employed by the University of Arizona.