CLAUDE ARTHUR BLACK JR.

: CLAUDE ARTHUR BLACK JR.

Claude Arthur Black, Jr – “Butch” to most who knew him – passed on January 1, 2021 at the age of 75. Born in Modesto, CA, on May 22, 1945, he was a Californian for all of about a minute spending most of his early life on the family farm in the area of Somers, IA. Butch was resolutely proud of his Iowa heritage and farm upbringing. In the home when he was growing up were his father, Claude Sr., his Uncle Harley, his paternal grandparents John and Abby, and the family dog, “Butch”. The family attended Calvary Presbyterian Church in Barnum, IA, which Butch joined while in his teens. He graduated from Northwest Webster school (k-12 at the time), where he had enjoyed playing on the basketball team, and then attended some college at Fort Dodge Junior College before enlisting in the Air Force.

In the Air Force, Butch was a ground equipment technician maintaining and repairing the support equipment for various missile systems in existence at the time. This experience presented the opportunity for travel, particularly once he was stationed in Bitburg, Germany. There he met Susan Lorenzen of Washington, DC; the woman who would be the love of his life, wife, and 52+ year companion and confidant. She was then working as a Department of Defense civilian employee teaching at the dependent schools associated with US installations in the area. Together they enjoyed touring all about Europe while station on the continent. Upon Butch’s discharge from the Air Force Sue and Butch married and settled in the area of Seattle, WA, where Sue had previously attended school and they really came to love the area as they continued to enjoy adventures exploring the Pacific Northwest.

Butch earned an Associate of Arts degree from Bellevue Community College, a Baccalaureate in Accounting and Business from the University of Washington, and a Master’s degree from City University.

Over the years he worked in the corporate world as the Controller for various corporations in the Seattle area, then he followed his wife’s calling and fell into teaching and really found what he would ultimately enjoy as his professional career. While working toward tenure, Butch was an associate professor at Bellevue Community College, Seattle Central Community College, and South Seattle Community College. Once offered tenure he remained with Seattle Central Community College until his retirement. Among his greatest professional joys was enabling his students to come to know the difference between “numbers and figures” in the accounting world, one is mere math while the other tells the story of business and industry (past, present, and future).

Butch enjoyed taking long drives to explore new places, time with his family, playing chess, cribbage, basketball, and – since he was no longer on the farm – working in the yard or hanging out with his favorite animal – dogs. In addition to his wife, Sue, among his great personal joys were his two sons, Tim and Dale, and their respective families when they could be around.

Butch is survived by his wife, Susan; his sons and daughters-in-law, Tim and Naomi Wine and Dale and Ari Esterkin; as well as his grandchildren Summer Dio, Jake, Timothy, and Benjamin; and great-grandchildren Miles Dio and Koda Black; and his elder sister, Claudia Porter, of Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his younger brother, John.

Memorial services are being held off until a later time.

If you choose a memorial please consider Aldersgate United Methodist Church of Bellevue, WA (Aldersgate Church – A Vibrant and Inclusive Christian Community (aldersgate-church.org), St Jude’s Hospital (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital), or Practical Farmers of Iowa (www.practical farmers.org), or Iowa FFA Foundation (www.iowaffafoundation.org).