Cletis Eugene Haynie

Visitation: Saturday, February 24, 2024, 10:00 A.M. to 10:45 A.M., Peterson Mortuary, 212 S. Locust Street, Glenwood, Iowa.

Graveside Services: Saturday, February 24, 2024, 11:00 A.M., Glenwood, Cemetery, 1105 N. Locust Street, Glenwood, Iowa.

Cletis Eugene Haynie, son of Enos Guy and Hazel Marie (Kizzier) Haynie, younger brother of Lloyd Cleo Haynie, was born Saturday March 17, 1928, in the Foreman’s house on the Hopkins Hog Ranch in Mills County Iowa. He was entered into eternal rest on Tuesday February 13, 2024, at the Glen Haven retirement home in Glenwood, Iowa, aged 95 years, 10 months and 27 days.

Cletis spent his first eight years on the “Hog Ranch” situated on the Mills, Pottawattamie County line along the Missouri river. The “ranch” was modern for the 1920’s, having a water tower for pressurized water, indoor running water and plumbing, batteries, and a generator to provide electricity. In 1936 young Cletis and his family moved to a farm six miles south of Glenwood, Iowa, this residence did not have all the modern conveniences of their previous home, no electricity, running water or indoor plumbing. Though it took some getting used to, Cletis came into his own and thrived here.

Soon Cletis or Treat, as his grandfather Jess Haynie would call him, had a blind pony named Ted. Cletis would be seen throughout the area riding or driving his pony using a two-wheeled cart. Often times visiting neighbors until after dark, on one such occasion Cletis and Ted were hi-tailing it home while going across the bridge a “Ghost” came flying over the railing, making a wild howling noise, Cletis ran Ted full tilt into the front yard, jumped off and ran into the house, jumping into bed without putting his pony away or getting undressed. Though he never admitted to being the “ghost”, his father’s eyes would always twinkle when the story was told. As Cletis grew up horses were always an important part of his life, much of his horse sense was brought about by helping a neighbor and local “horse salesman” Gene Dashner. Cletis always recounted how if Gene would tell him to go “up” the road that meant to keep a tight rein and not let the horse get away, if he was told to go “down” the road that meant that this was a good horse that you could let loose and not have to worry about any up-sets.

Cletis attended Elm Grove country school, after his eighth-grade graduation he began helping his father with the farming full time, whether cutting and raking hay, disking or planting crops, milking cows and so on Cletis always stayed busy…but never too busy to break a horse to be ridden or go for a ride through the countryside. During his adolescent years Cletis traveled to different areas, one time he and some friends wound up in Minnesota but soon found out that “they done things different up there and it was damn hard to get ahead.” He traveled down to Claremore, Oklahoma and then ended up on a ranch in Texas along the Canadian river where he worked breaking horses for a time. Cletis recounted the only time he ever flew in a plane, he was in his late teens, after a night of libations he and some pals, one of which had a plane, decided to fly out to the sand hills in Nebraska. The plane was a small Cessna, and the flight was rough, Cletis vowed that if they landed without dying he would never fly again, they did and that was the one and only time he ever flew.

In May of 1949, Cletis was united in marriage to Norma Beatrice Wilson. To this union two sons were born, Larry Eugene and Timothy Layne. Cletis started out working as a farm foreman for Mr. Mansfield near Hastings. As Cletis would tell it you might change clothes 3-4 times a day, Mr. Mansfield had hog, cattle and farming operations as well as a furniture store and funeral home and any given day you may work at any or all locations and would need to be dressed accordingly. After about a year of working for Mr. Mansfield, Cletis moved onto a farm near Hillsdale that his father owned and began farming there. After a few years Cletis and the family moved to a farm south of Glenwood, (less than a mile from where he grew up) he would stay here until 1996.

Not one to sit around and hope for a good crop, Cletis had a diversified operation including milk cows, chickens, hogs and beef cattle, of course there were always horses. Along with his farming obligations Cletis would take seasonal work to supplement his income, several years he worked at the Omaha Stock Yards, later he worked nights at a food processing facility in Council Bluffs, put up government grain bins, during the day worked for local farmers, spent 7 years running the Skelly gas station in Glenwood and his last part time job was working nights at the Plattsmouth toll bridge.

It was in the late 1980’s when Cletis took on a project that he would recount for the rest of his life, he acquired a herd of 26 horses of all varying ages and levels of being broke. He spent quite some time breaking and selling these horses but did accomplish it. At one point his barn yard looked like a menagerie of livestock, he had three “adopted” wild horses, a Missouri Jumping Mule, a Burro, two Brahma bulls, several Longhorn cows and two Buffalo, in addition to his “regular” beef cattle and other horses.

In addition to the farming and his extra day and night jobs, Cletis was instrumental in keeping the Elm Grove school open until the State of Iowa closed all country schools in 1966. For more than 25 years, Cletis volunteered his services digging graves at the Waubonsie Cemetery and helping with the ground’s maintenance, a service that he learned from his father as a child.

In September of 1997, Cletis was married to Marjorie Arlene Hopp and they made their home on a farm south of Malvern until 2005 when they sold the farm and bought a home in Red Oak. Cletis and Marge spent their “retirement” years traveling around the country, usually ending up at Branson, a rodeo or a casino, always together and enjoying each other’s company. They made their home in Red Oak until Marjorie’s passing, Cletis stayed in his home until just a few months ago when he was no longer able to.

Preceding Cletis in death were his parents, brother Lloyd Haynie, wife Marjorie Haynie, sons Larry Haynie and Timothy Haynie and infant granddaughter Shanelle Haynie.

Survivors include sister-in-law Gerri Haynie, daughters-in-law Cheryl Haynie of Stanton, Iowa and Deborah Haynie of Shenandoah, Iowa, Stepsons Mark and wife Sherri Jacobsen of Glenwood, Iowa and Steven and wife Denise Jacobsen of Glenwood, Iowa. Grandsons Kevin Haynie and son Kelby of Kingfisher, Oklahoma, Michael Haynie and daughter Adrian of Stanton, Iowa, Shane and wife Brenda Haynie daughter Taylor and son Ty of Shenandoah, Iowa and Shawn and wife Paula Haynie of Shenandoah, Iowa, daughter Abigail of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, son Ethan and wife Erin of Maryville, Missouri, daughter Lauren of Ankeny, Iowa and son Reggie of Shenandoah, Iowa. Several step grandchildren and great grandchildren, extended family and friends.

Memorial donations may be directed to Waubonsie Church, rural Glenwood, Iowa.