Clarence Gaylon Neustel

Clarence Gaylon Neustel, 81, of Indio, California passed away Saturday, November 4, 2017.

Gaylon was born to Ervin and Olga Neustel on May 31, 1936 in Aiken Village, Minnesota, the youngest of their four children.

As a young man, Gaylon worked with his father as a lineman until his father had a stroke and became paralyzed. In the 11th grade at the time, Gaylon convinced his mother to allow him to leave school and join the United States Marine Corps. He served with his brother Gordon in Korea, sending his pay home to support his family.

After leaving the service, he worked at Rockwell International before retiring, for the first time.

Deciding retirement didn't suit him, he started his own business, working for over a decade before retiring again.

Retirement still not suiting him, he started a new career, driving a school bus for handicapped children until he retired to start a new "career" of playing golf.

After his final retirement, he and his wife moved to Indio so he could indulge his new career of playing golf. He was often seen around the neighborhood enjoying the favorite part of the day, taking his beloved dachshunds, Penny and Jake, for a ride in the golf cart to the park.

Gaylon is survived by his wife Bobbie, son Gaylon, daughter Stacy Root, stepdaughters Beth Berkowitz and Debbie Clark, grandchildren Madison, Max and Mackenzie Root, Andrew Hernandez and Collin and Zachary Clark, great grandchildren Finley and Lily Clark, brother Bill, numerous nieces and nephews, many friends and his beloved doxies.

A celebration of Gaylon's life is being planned for a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to honor Gaylon with donations to his favorite organizations, Yaps.org - Yucaipa Animal Placement Society where Gaylon and Bobbie adopted Penny and Jake, and the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, cvrm.org.

"The purpose of life is not to be happy, it is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well" . Ralph Waldo Emerson