Clyde Edwin Nef

He is the 4th child of Albert Nef and Daphne Christine Sorenson. Clyde was raised on the family farm, learning to work with animals, milk cows, harvest beets and potatoes, and raise crops. After graduating from Madison High School, he went to Ricks College (BYU Idaho) for 1 year before serving a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Southern States. After returning from his mission, he transferred to Utah State Agricultural College, graduating with a B.S. and M.S degree in Ag Economics in 1957.

Clyde and Joanne Pixton were married on June 9, 1955 in the Idaho Falls Temple. Clyde and Joanne have lived in Logan, Utah; Salt Lake City, Utah; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Fresno, Clovis, and Sanger, California. He was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In Salt Lake City, he delivered produce to grocery stores. In Idaho Falls, he was a Health Scientist at the nuclear site in the Idaho desert.

He was hired by the California Department of Agriculture in October 1961 and the family moved to Fresno. He was tutored/mentored by A. "Sox" Setrakian, who was the Chairman of the Raisin Administrative Committee, supervising market promotion programs and observing the world dried fruit industry. Clyde managed the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC) from 1965 through 1995. He also served as manager of the California Raisin Advisory Board (CALRAB) from 1977 through 1994. The creation of the "Dancing Raisins" (I Heard it Through the Grapevine), in the 1980's signalled the raisin industry's major foray into popular culture and moved it to the forefront of consumers' shopping lists. The results of this media blitz led to the dismantling of CALRAB and flavored the future of a new State Marketing Order.

He loved the San Joaquin Valley, the diversity, and the beauty of things growing. By the time he retired, he had 37 years of experience in the raisin and grape industry. In 1995, he was named American Vineyard Manager of the Year. Building the export markets made up roughly one third of California's annual shipments of raisins.

After retiring, he wrote a book "The Fruits of Their Labors. . ." as a history of the California Raisin Industry under Federal and State Marketing Orders. The book represents more than 50 years of the California Raisin Industry.

At his retirement, the Raisin Industry gifted him a beautiful horse named Fanny, along with 2 breeding contracts. Those contracts added Odyssey and Splendor to Dad's horse family. Clyde and Joanne loved to travel. Dad never went anywhere in the world that he did not recognize someone he knew, whether he knew them from Rexburg, Church, or the Industry. Remembering faces and names was his super power. He was a hugger and the baby whisperer. As his kids, we never left their home without him walking us out and watching us leave. We think he got that from watching his Father do the same thing on the farm. Dad was the happiest on his tractor, plowing the same 5 acres all day long, riding his horses, and working in his orchard/garden. He also loved working for Hertz Rental cars part-time, moving cars up and down the Valley and to the Coast. That was his quiet "thinking" time.

He loved serving in the Oakland and Fresno Temples as an ordinance worker and coordinator. Clyde and Joanne served an 18 month mission for the Church to Chicago, Illinois, where Clyde dealt with the mission cars, moving missionaries and furniture around the mission, and had to learn to use a computer to write his reports. He much preferred a pen and yellow pad. To this day, they still remember and talk about the young men and women missionaries they served with.

He is survived by his wife, Joanne; his four children: Kristine (Randy) Robbins, Allan (Adel) Nef, Bart Nef, Tonya (Victor) McGill; his brother Floyd (Marsha) Nef, 13 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and 4 great great grandchildren. Clyde was preceded in death by his parents, brothers LaMar (Faye) Nef, Dwaine (Dorothy) Nef and sister Lois (Ray) Cherry. Numerous nephews and nieces on both the Nef and Pixton sides of the family have fond, loving memories of Uncle Clyde - he was much loved and will be dearly missed.

A Graveside Service will be held on Friday, January 3, 2025 at the Clovis Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. The family would like to thank Ashleigh, Michelle and Heritage Hospice for taking such good care of Dad for the last 10 months. Boice Funeral Home in Clovis, CA are handling the arrangements.