Individual 46: Clarence Henry Rath

Individual Record 46

Name} Rath, Clarence Henry

Family History} Hancock

Title}

Race} White

Sex} Male

Birth: Date} Exa 27 Dec 1916

Place} Herman, Grant, Minnesota

Marr1: Date} Exa 28 Jul 1947

Place} Reno, Washoe, Nevada (Link)

Marr2: Date} Exa 6 Sep 1975

Place} Carson City, Ormsby, Nevada (Link)

Death: Date} Exa 31 Dec 1996

Place} , Napa, California

Burial: Date} Exa 3 Jan 1997

Place} Tulocay Mausoleum, Napa, Napa, California

Grave Marker} Yes

Source 1}	1776 = Birth recrd
Source 2}	888 = 1920 US cen
Source 3}	889 = 1930 US cen
Source 4}	1777 = 1940 US cen
Source 5}	1187 = Military rec
Source 6}	845 = Military rec
Source 7}	1778 = Newspaper
Source 8}	386 = Marriage
Source 9}	1600 = City directy
Sourc 10}	1586 = 1950 US cen
Sourc 12}	1771 = Newspaper
Sourc 13}	1784 = Newspaper
Sourc 14}	1004 = Divorce rec
Sourc 15}	1218 = Photograph
Sourc 16}	908 = Marriage
Sourc 17}	415 = Address lst
Sourc 18}	1594 = Public recrd
Sourc 19}	1697 = Death recrd
Sourc 20}	521 = Death recrd
Sourc 21}	1599 = S.S. Record
Sourc 22}	913 = Obituary
Sourc 23}	30 = Cemetery
Sourc 24}	1588 = Cemetery
Sourc 25}	597 = Family histry
Sourc 26}	699 = Letters

Parents: } George Johanna (John) Rath & Gusena Maria (Sena) Bertram
Relationship No.} 517

1st Household No.} 22 = 1830 Fuller Way, Napa, California

Occupation 1} Grocer
Occupation 2} Bombadiere

Religion/Church}

Spouses: First} Williams, Ruby Lorraine
Second} Prescott, Dorothy May (Dodie)
Total Number of} 2

Notes: Clarence Henry Rath was born 27 Dec 1916 in Herman, Grant, Minnesota. His parents were George Johanna (John) Rath and Gusena Maria (Sena) Bertram. He was the second of four children. In 1920 the family moved from Minnesota to Illinois. All four of Clarence's grandparents met each other in Illinois, and only then learned that they all immigrated to the U.S. from the same small region in Germany.

In the 1920 U.S. census, Clarence H. Rath, 3, was living with his family in Peach Orchard, Ford, Illinois. His father, George G., 29, was farm laborer, his mother, Sena, 24, a housewife. His older brother was Garrett F., 5. His family was renting their home. Three sisters were born in Illinois — Marie M., Roselyn Jean, and Shirley A. Roselyn died in the 1927 flu epidemic.

By 1929 Clarence's parents had had enough of farming in the severe weather in Illinois, and were encouraged to join other family members in Petaluma, California. Petaluma was known for its chicken processing industries, and at one time the "Egg Capital of the World.

In the 1930 U.S. census, Clarence H. Rath, 13, was living with his family in a rented home at 1005 G. Street, Petaluma, Sonoma, California. His father, George J., 40, worked in a hatchery, and his mother Sena, 35, was a housewife. His siblings were Gerrett F., 15, Marie M., 9, and Shirley A., 1. All of the children except Shirley attended school.

Clarence graduated from Petaluma High School. He was offered a full basketball scholarship to Stanford University, but he turned it down because he didn't want to be away from his girlfriend (who eventually broke up with him).

In the 1940 U.S. census, Clarence H. Rath, 23, and his brother Gary T. Rath, 25, were boarding with the Eiden family at 3169 22nd Street, in San Francisco, California. Both were clerks in a retail grocery store.

On 16 Oct 1940, Clarence Henry Rath, 23, registered for the World War II draft on 16 Oct 1940. At that time he was living with his father at 5 Hawthorne Court, Petaluma, and was working at the Williams Market at Pearl and Coombs Street in Napa. He was described as 6'3", with light complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He had a crooked right arm.

Clarence enlisted in the U.S. Army on 4 Aug 1944. He was 6' 2" tall, weighed 164 pounds, and was single at that time. He was one of the honored guests of the Petaluma Elks Lodge at a breakfast before his departure. He became a 2nd lieutenant and bombadiere in the Army Air Force during World War II. He received a medical discharge/retirement due to a stomach ulcer.

Clarence H. Rath married Lorraine R. Whitthorne on 28 Jul 1947 in Reno, Washoe, Nevada. In 1948 they were living at 1830 Fuller Lane, Napa. Clarence was a clerk for Allen Young. In the 1950 U.S. census, Clarence H. Rath, 33, and R. Lorraine, 27, were living at 1830 Fuller Lane, Napa, Napa, California. Clarence was a clerk in a retain grocery store. Their children were Gayle L., 6, and Linda J., 1. They had one additional daughter.

Clarence was the co-owner of the Silverado Market, located at l556 Silverado Trail, Napa. He and his partner sold the market in September 1961. He went on to be a manager at a Vallerga's Market. Clarence and Lorraine divorced in Mar 1968.

Clarence Henry Rath married Dorothy May Sullivan on 6 Sep 1975 in Carson City, Nevada. Public records report their address in 1980 as 2238 Clay St., Napa, and in 1984 as 1984 Wilkinns Ct., Napa. He was a charter member of the Napa Valley Country Club and was an avid golfer and in later years enjoyed gardening.

Clarence Henry Rath died 31 Dec 1996 in Napa four days after his 80th birthday. A memorial service was held at Treadway and Wigger Funeral Chapel, the Rev. Erwin W. Bollinger, pastor emeritus of Napa's First Presbyterian Church officiating. He is buried in the Tulocay Mausoleum, Napa, California