Philip Eldon Fossum
Dec. 7, 1935 – Nov. 1, 2020
Philip Eldon Fossum,
beloved husband, father,
grandpa, great-grandpa,
brother and friend, passed
away with his wife by his
side on November 1,
2020, at HAMC in Rugby,
ND.
Phil was born De-
cember 7, 1935, in Rugby,
to Oliver and Edith Fos-
sum. Raised and educated
in Rugby and Lakota, he
graduated from high
school in 1953 in Sa-
cramento, CA. In 1954, he
enlisted in the Army Na-
tional Guard Co., 164th
Engineering Battalion, at-
taining the rank of Staff
Sergeant status.
On September 16, 1956,
Phil married the love of
his life, Clarice Saude, in
Rugby and within a few
days, they took off for Cal-
ifornia where they lived
for a short time before re-
turning to Rugby. Phil
was called to active duty
in 1961 with the ND Na-
tional Guard during the
Berlin Crisis, so off they
went to Ft. Riley, KS.
They lived in St. Marys,
KS for a short time and
later moved to Manhattan,
KS to be closer to base.
After his honorable
discharge, the two of them
came back to Rugby,
where they built a home
and raised their family to-
gether. He was part owner
and manager of the P&M
Elevator in Berwick, ND
and spent his early truck
driving years with C&G
Furniture in Rugby.
Phil dearly loved his
many years as an
over-the-road truck driver,
traveling throughout the
northwestern states. He
carried everything from
farm and construction
machinery to Army equip-
ment, soda ash, lumber,
and many other loads. He
often visited friends and
relatives along the way.
Although he started
driving International,
once he made the switch
to Kenworth, he never
looked back.
Winding through
mountain roads, sur-
rounded by breathtaking
views with that “good
listenin’ music” on the
stereo, the rumble of that
Kenworth engine would
forever become a part of
his soul.
He occasionally took
his girls along and he
proudly displayed their
names on his truck doors.
One way or another, he
always had his family
with him.
In 1974, Phil esta-
blished Fossum Lumber,
now Rugby Lumber, and
owned and managed it for
many years. Clarice
worked by his side, as
they ran the business and
raised their girls together.
He was a member of
many organizations in-
cluding the Rugby Ameri-
can Legion, Rugby
Chamber of Commerce,
the Rugby Country Club,
the Rugby Eagles, Ducks
Unlimited, Rugby Gun
Club, and Bethany Luth-
eran Church.
In his free time, Phil en-
joyed hunting, fishing,
watching football and
baseball and he very
much loved golfing every
day that he could. He
especially enjoyed after-
noon coffee with friends
as they laughed together
and tried to outwit each
other.
He treasured quiet time
in his backyard and gar-
den, and befriended yard
birds who trusted him
enough to eat birdseed
from his hand.
Nothing stopped Phil.
His determination kept
him truckin’ through long
hours and all weather
conditions, yet he always
made it home.
Nothing stopped Phil.
Wherever the roads took
him, when each of his
daughters was born, he al-
ways made it home.
Nothing stopped Phil.
He kept on truckin’
throughout many years of
health challenges, and he
always made it home.
Keep on truckin’ Phil –
someday we’ll be together
forever … when we all
make it Home.
Phil is survived and
dearly missed by his lov-
ing wife and three
daughters, Connie (Steve)
Dignan, Camas, WA,
Christi (Brian) Kasbohm,
Chanhassen, MN, and
Carrie Thomas, West Far-
go, ND; two grandchil-
dren, Jessica (Michael) Ol-
son and Jay (Kelley) Dig-
nan, one
great-granddaughter, Had-
ley Rae Dignan, brothers
Robert (Marilynn) Fos-
sum, Danbury, NE, and
John Fossum, Surprise,
AZ, as well as several
nieces and nephews. He
was preceded in death by
his parents, his sister,
Sheryl Rollman, and his
brother, Ronald.
Memorial services will
be held at 10:00 a.m. Fri-
day, November 20 at First
Lutheran Church in Rug-
by with military honors
to follow at Persilla Watts
Cemetery, Rugby.
For the safety of all,
please be observant of the
Covid-19 restrictions in-
cluding wearing a facial
covering, social distanc-
ing, hand sanitizing, and
staying at home if not
feeling well.
(Anderson Funeral
Home, Rugby)
www.funeralsbyanderson.
com
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