Clarice A. (Jaranson) Vargo

HARRISBURG-Clarice A. Vargo, 90 left this world on June 28, 2008 from Harrisburg Hospital, Harrisburg, PA. Born Clarice Almeda Jaranson on July 4, 1917 in Thief River Falls, MN she was the daughter of Ole and Edna Jaranson and one of six children. As a young girl she was a Minnesota State Champion sharp-shooter and lover of golf, farm life and all things Thief River Falls. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1934 and left Minnesota in 1936, boarding a train to join her best friend Harriet (Jung) Eiwen to be a "Government Girl" in Washington, DC to work for the war cause. In 1942 she met her husband, John J. Vargo, an M.P. in the U.S. Army. They married at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 1943 and raised their first child, Thomas J. Vargo in Takoma Park, MD. In 1945 they moved to John's family homestead in Danville, PA where they raised their 10 children. In 1967 Clarice "retired" from motherhood and returned to work at Bloomsburg State College in the Office of the Registrar. She loved her work and enjoyed it for 16 years, retiring in 1983. From that point forward she enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and abroad with her husband and visiting her far-flung children and grandchildren. In 2006, she moved to Harrisburg, PA where she spent the last years of her life surrounded by her family who loved her very much. Clarice was preceded in death by four brothers, Joe, Howard, John and David Jaranson, her husband John J. Vargo in 1999, her daughter Susan (Vargo) Foglio in 1984 and a great-grandson, Kyle Stoddart in 2004. She is survived by an elder sister, Edythe (Jaranson) Pearson of Detroit Lakes, MN and her best friend of 85 years, Harriet (Jung) Eiwen of Arlington, VA. Her surviving children include Thomas J. Vargo, Davie, Florida; Catherine (Vargo) Snyder, Plantation, Florida; Judith (Vargo) Bartusch, Tacoma, WA; Theresa (Vargo) & Ken Nance, Harrisburg, PA; Martin & Vicki Vargo, Hummelstown, PA; Lawrence & Karen Vargo, Danville, PA; Virginia Vargo, Harrisburg, PA; Joanne (Vargo) & Alan Moore, St. Cloud, FL; John F. Vargo, Harrisburg, PA. In addition, Clarice is survived by twenty-three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Family and friends are welcome to gather from 10:00-10:30 AM on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at the Dale E. Ranck Funeral Service, Inc. 125 North Front Street, Milton, PA. The Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church,109 Broadway St. Milton, PA, with Reverend Father Thomas Scala officiating. Burial will follow the funeral mass in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Clarice will be loved and missed by her caregivers, her many dear friends, her great-grandchildren, grandchildren and especially her children. "But remember that Red River Valley, and the girl that had loved you so true." In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Thief River Falls Education Foundation 230 South LaBree Avenue Thief River Falls, MN 56701 Phone 218-681-8711 http://www.trfeducationfoundation.com/contributions.htm