Clyde Mack Causey, Jr.

Clyde Mack Causey Jr., 85, of Montrose, Colorado, died Saturday, August 26, 2023, following a long battle with multiple sclerosis and esophageal cancer.

He had many illnesses during his life, including polio and rheumatic fever, and not only survived them but thrived.

Mack was born May 24, 1938, at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to Jetoria Woods Causey Merry and Clyde Causey Sr.  He was raised in Sikeston, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland; Syracuse and Binghamton, New York; and Fort Lincoln, North Dakota.

For a brief time he attended Briarwood Academy, a military school.  In later years Mack visited Fort Lincoln and his old home, and his name was still on the door to his room.  He also visited the town of Causey, New Mexico. He and his mother moved to Riverdale, North Dakota, where he graduated from high school.  Mack attended Carlton College in Northfield, Minnesota.  He then served in the U.S. Army, and was stationed in Germany.  From there he was able to travel around Europe and brought home stories of his travels. After leaving the Army, he first worked at Northwest Piano then at AT&T at Minot Air Force Base in Minot, North Dakota.  Mack then relocated to Colorado Springs, where he worked in Cheyenne Mountain.

On Sept. 4, 1970, Mack married Dorothy Hager in Minot and they lived at Chipeta Park, Colorado.  There Mack was a master gardener, belonged to an orchid club, and attended night school in Colorado Springs. He was also a Boy Scout master.   In 1979 the family moved to Montrose where Mack was employed by U.S. West as a telephone technician.  He retired from the phone company after working there for over 40 years. Throughout his life Mack enjoyed gardening, hunting with his self-trained dogs, jeeping, fishing, and outdoors in general.  He couldn’t go a weekend without Car Talk on public radio.  He loved PBS.  Mack was a talented pianist.

Surviving are his wife; two daughters, Jetoria Marie and Jennifer Lynn; and a grandson, Derek Hampton.  Also surviving Mack are step-siblings, Fran Mayes and John Causey, and numerous other relatives from Michigan.

While in Montrose, Mack was a charter member of the Optimist Club which is no more.  He believed in the Optimist Creed which said, in part:

Promise Yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.  It ended with:  Promise Yourself to be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

The family would like to thank the staff of Hope West Hospice, Elk Ridge Nursing Home and Valley Manor Nursing Home.   No service will be held.  Crippin Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

If you wish to make a donation in honor of Mack please make it to Rocky Mountain PBS or Hope West Hospice in Montrose.