Clinton Elmer Coleman

Clinton Elmer Coleman of Niton, AB was born in Didsbury, Alberta on Sept 10th, 1931. His family homesteaded in the Cremona, AB area and he grew up on the family farm where he acquired his love of horses and livestock.

When Dad moved to Jasper, he met and married Leda Howenko and together they had four children.

He is survived by his sons, Floyd, Miles and Nelson, his daughter Debra Pigeon (Coleman)as well as his oldest daughter, Penny Dasko.

Dad was an outfitter in Jasper and ran Clint’s Pony Barns for many years in the Park where many young hands started their careers in the horse business under his guidance. As kids, we worked with Dad during our summer holidays guiding tourists and riding the backcountry with him. He also guided hunting trips in the fall throughout the Wilmore Wilderness area.

He left us with many great memories and more funny ‘sayings’ than we can count. We all remember the time that he was shaving and getting cleaned up to go out and he informed everyone that,

‘There’s no use in being poor and looking poor’

He lived a life full of storytelling, humor and hard work and he will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Due to Covid, there will be no formal service but family and friends are welcome to celebrate his life and engage in some good ‘ole storytelling with a shot of Jack Daniels.

Here’s a short rhyme that he penned. He was very proud of his beautiful black mare and he called her ‘Shady Lady’ or ‘Ladybird’.

Clint Coleman came to Jasper

On his black and noble steed

Who was noted for her endurance

And everlasting speed

Tribute to Clint Coleman from Lucy Miller Robinson and Family

   Clint Coleman and our mother Lucy Miller Robinson we’re partners for forty years, starting in 1980 and ending in 2020 with Clint’s death.
   In the earlier years of Clint raising his family in Jasper, we saw him when he dropped in for a visit or to check his barn horses on pasture here at Niton. What was always clear to us was that Clint was a cowboy. From his horse smarts and handling, his knot and rope skills, to his use of a lariat, no audience was more delighted nor horse more surprised, than when Clint’s loop settled around Dusty’s neck, after he’d decided that being caught in the spring wasn’t his first choice. At the Edson Rodeo, the awe and excitement of watching Clint and Earl win the Packhorse Race or dancing at the Silver Slipper during Edmonton rodeo, we watched how Clint’s blue eyes sparkled as he sashayed by with a pretty woman as his dance partner. As Waylon sang, “Amanda, light of my life”.
   In 1980, Clint and Lucy left Alberta for the Cariboo goldfields where they spent almost twenty years as active members of the gold mining community in Likely, BC.
   As a partner in a gold company with Tony Rizzi, Clint’s skills as an equipment operator, blacksmith and welder, as well as tour guide were used to operate, maintain, and promote gold mining. As a company man, Clint’s honesty, patience, and knowledge of gold movement and sluice box mechanics resulted in him doing the company’s clean-ups and placer gold recovery.
   Clint’s love of learning and reading meant that he spent many winter evenings pouring over his collection of BC Ministry of Mines Annual Reports to deepen his understanding of geology, history, and possibilities of what was in the ground regarding placer gold mining.
 

   Clint and Lucy’s home was the “go to” place to stop for coffee, to find out who was mining and where, and to discuss the mining season’s gold plants, operations, as well as hopes and dreams. Many “want-to-be” gold miners enjoyed Clint’s tutorials and panning lessons. Whether tourists, friends, or investors, all were welcomed into Clint and Lucy’s home.
   After work, the evenings often started with Clint sitting down in his chair with his favourite companion, Jack Daniels. This much savoured daily dram was often followed by him waiting for Mom to suggest he wash up or even shower before supper. Clint’s responses, ready and well-planned, were either to quote his favourite poet Robert Service, “I do not wash my hands and face, I just pig around the place” or as his brother Orman liked to say, “I don’t take nothin’ that don’t belong to me”. Supper was usually followed with visiting, including Clint’s weekly Bridge with fellow card game enthusiasts.
 

Clint enjoyed his shop where as he said, “He could always control the heat”. There he repaired his and others’ equipment. He also worked on many restoration projects for the Likely Historical Society. Old placer gold monitors, boilers, and crosses for one of the historic graveyards, all benefited from his labours. In the off-season, Clint designed and fabricated weather vanes and other decorative ironworks which he and Lucy sold at craft fairs from Smithers to Kelowna. Sadly, in 1996, Clint’s shop burned down which meant the loss of much of his tools, welders, and many other treasures.
   With gold prices down, later in 1996, Clint returned to Alberta, “God’s Country”, where he once again set up a shop to continued his iron work.
 

   Back in Niton, with the use of Lucy’s farm, as well as her purchase of two Belgian colts, Clint was back in the horse business. Although unimpressed with their names Rhett and Butler, Clint went on to train them to drive and pull his wagon named “Wagon’s West”, that he’d fabricated out of an old camp trailer frame. Several saddle horses also became better mounts after Clint and son Mile’s training. A highlight of those years was time spend camping at the site of the former Miller Ranch south of Carrot Creek. With the team and wagon and several saddle horses, many friends, family members, and other visitors enjoyed those outings.
   In March, 2018, after some strokes, Clint went into the Edson hospital and then into continuing care. Mom’s regular routine became visiting him most afternoons.  Clint passed away on Thursday, July 9th, 2020, at 88 years of age, with Lucy, our mom at his side.
   And so to Clint, from Lucy and the Robinsons, we were blessed to know you and have you in our family. You will be remembered. Happy Trails old cowboy.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Clinton Elmer Coleman, please visit our floral store.