Clarence A. 'Pinky' Bourne

KALISPELL — Former Ronan police chief Clarence A. "Pinky" Bourne, 90, died May 27, 2006, at Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Kalispell.

He was born on July 4, 1915, in Great Falls, son of Charles and Louise Bourne. Pinky and his brother Earl were raised in Great Falls where they attended school.

Out of school, during the Great Depression, Pinky and his best friend left home and went "on the bum." They saw the Harley Davidson motorcycle factory in Milwaukee, then rode the rails to see the rest of the country. They returned to Great Falls after a year and Pinky went to work for the Great Falls Drug Company.

Unable to join the military during WWII because of blindness in one eye, he continued to work as a druggist until 1946 when he became an agronomist for the Montana State Grain laboratory in Great Falls. He advanced to the position of federal grain supervisor. A chronic throat condition from the grain dust caused him to leave the business.

Pinky married Eva Rose in 1945, and they moved to the Flathead Valley with son Dan in 1950, where they bought an old ranch on the Marion Stage Route in Foy's Canyon. Pinky ranched and worked in the woods, then returned to work in drug stores. They sold the ranch in 1967 and moved to Billings, where Pinky managed two apartment houses and continued is work in saddle making and fine leather that he had begun in the 1930s.

Always closely associated with law enforcement, he was an officer in the Sheriff's Auxiliary, then worked for the Billings police as security officer for the Billings airport.

In 1974, Pinky was hired as Chief of Police for the City of Ronan. He worked as Chief, Special Deputy, Special Tribal Officer and Special Officer for the BIA until retiring in 1980. Pinky did leather work, rode motorcycles as he had from his first Harley, 1919 model, and worked as volunteer for the Food Bank.

Pinky's wife Eva died in 1987. With failing eyesight, Pinky moved to Kalispell in 1997 to live near his son Dan and family. Pinky was a common sight, walking around the wide side of Kalispell, guided by peripheral vision, his walking stick, and his little Dog, Taffi. His health failing, he moved to Colonial Manor in 2002.

Pinky was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Eva Rose, all his motorcycle friends, and Taffi.

He is survived by his brother Earl and Lillian Bourne of Great Falls; sister Marlene "Joy" Davis of Salem, Ore.; son Dan and Jet Bourne of Kalispell; granddaughters Darshan and John Heston of Kalispell and Corraun Bourne of Portland, Ore..; great-grandsons Jordan and Clayton of Kalispell, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services were held May 31 at Faith Alliance Church, Kalispell. Graveside services will be today June 1 at 11 a.m. at Mountain View Cemetery in Ronan.

Memorials may be made to any Masonic Scottish Rite program or the Shrine Hospital.