The funeral service for Godfrey "Junior" Kleinke, of Wadena will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 18, at the St. John Lutheran Church in Wadena, with Pastor Stephen Meltzer presiding. Visitation will be at the church on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service. With family at his side, Junior, age 90, passed away on Thursday, September 10, 2015, at the Minnesota Veterans Nursing Home in Fergus Falls, MN.
Godfrey “Junior” Kleinke was born to Gottfried and Cora (Higgenbotham) Kleinke on June 9, 1925, in North Germany Township, Wadena County, MN. He attended District 48 Country School through the eighth grade. In 1945, he entered the US Army during WWII and served as a Corporal until his honorable discharge in 1947. Junior and Vera Neels were united in marriage on October 25, 1947, in Wadena, MN. It was where they made their home before moving to rural Verndale in 1977. They returned to Wadena in 2009. After years of Vera’s dedicated and loving care, it became apparent in 2013 that Junior needed to be at the Veterans Home in Fergus Falls.
Over the years Junior was employed at the Co-op Creamery, Goetz-Everson Motors, and NAPA. He will also be remembered as a well known worker at the Wadena Municipal Liquor Store for over 18 years, until his retirement in 1987. His spare time was spent enjoying the outdoors, whether it was hunting, fishing or snowmobiling. Junior was a member of the American Legion in Sebeka.
Junior was preceded in death by his parents Gottfried and Cora; sister Mary Steinkraus; and brother-in-law Henry Steinkraus.
Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Vera; son David (Linda) Kleinke all of Wadena; grandchildren Michael (Rhonda) Kleinke of Wadena, Amy Kleinke, Kimberly (Peter) Erickson, and Jonathan (Elizabeth) Kleinke all of Sidney, MT; great-grandchildren Brittani (Tyler) Schwartz, Brayden and Bryanna Kleinke, Caleb Kleinke, Erin, Ethan, and Evan Erickson, Ciana Murphy, Ryleigh, Max and Toby Kleinke; sister, Lois (Robert) Poyzer of Crosby, MN; along with many nieces and nephews.
Burial will be in Wadena Cemetery, Wadena, MN.
**Obituary courtesy of Schuller Family Funeral Home, Wadena, MN.
Godfrey “Junior” Kleinke was born to Gottfried and Cora (Higgenbotham) Kleinke on June 9, 1925, in North Germany Township, Wadena County, MN. He attended District 48 Country School through the eighth grade. In 1945, he entered the US Army during WWII and served as a Corporal until his honorable discharge in 1947. Junior and Vera Neels were united in marriage on October 25, 1947, in Wadena, MN. It was where they made their home before moving to rural Verndale in 1977. They returned to Wadena in 2009. After years of Vera’s dedicated and loving care, it became apparent in 2013 that Junior needed to be at the Veterans Home in Fergus Falls.
Over the years Junior was employed at the Co-op Creamery, Goetz-Everson Motors, and NAPA. He will also be remembered as a well known worker at the Wadena Municipal Liquor Store for over 18 years, until his retirement in 1987. His spare time was spent enjoying the outdoors, whether it was hunting, fishing or snowmobiling. Junior was a member of the American Legion in Sebeka.
Junior was preceded in death by his parents Gottfried and Cora; sister Mary Steinkraus; and brother-in-law Henry Steinkraus.
Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Vera; son David (Linda) Kleinke all of Wadena; grandchildren Michael (Rhonda) Kleinke of Wadena, Amy Kleinke, Kimberly (Peter) Erickson, and Jonathan (Elizabeth) Kleinke all of Sidney, MT; great-grandchildren Brittani (Tyler) Schwartz, Brayden and Bryanna Kleinke, Caleb Kleinke, Erin, Ethan, and Evan Erickson, Ciana Murphy, Ryleigh, Max and Toby Kleinke; sister, Lois (Robert) Poyzer of Crosby, MN; along with many nieces and nephews.
Burial will be in Wadena Cemetery, Wadena, MN.
**Obituary courtesy of Schuller Family Funeral Home, Wadena, MN.
The funeral service for Godfrey "Junior" Kleinke, of Wadena will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 18, at the St. John Lutheran Church in Wadena, with Pastor Stephen Meltzer presiding. Visitation will be at the church on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service. With family at his side, Junior, age 90, passed away on Thursday, September 10, 2015, at the Minnesota Veterans Nursing Home in Fergus Falls, MN.
Godfrey “Junior” Kleinke was born to Gottfried and Cora (Higgenbotham) Kleinke on June 9, 1925, in North Germany Township, Wadena County, MN. He attended District 48 Country School through the eighth grade. In 1945, he entered the US Army during WWII and served as a Corporal until his honorable discharge in 1947. Junior and Vera Neels were united in marriage on October 25, 1947, in Wadena, MN. It was where they made their home before moving to rural Verndale in 1977. They returned to Wadena in 2009. After years of Vera’s dedicated and loving care, it became apparent in 2013 that Junior needed to be at the Veterans Home in Fergus Falls.
Over the years Junior was employed at the Co-op Creamery, Goetz-Everson Motors, and NAPA. He will also be remembered as a well known worker at the Wadena Municipal Liquor Store for over 18 years, until his retirement in 1987. His spare time was spent enjoying the outdoors, whether it was hunting, fishing or snowmobiling. Junior was a member of the American Legion in Sebeka.
Junior was preceded in death by his parents Gottfried and Cora; sister Mary Steinkraus; and brother-in-law Henry Steinkraus.
Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Vera; son David (Linda) Kleinke all of Wadena; grandchildren Michael (Rhonda) Kleinke of Wadena, Amy Kleinke, Kimberly (Peter) Erickson, and Jonathan (Elizabeth) Kleinke all of Sidney, MT; great-grandchildren Brittani (Tyler) Schwartz, Brayden and Bryanna Kleinke, Caleb Kleinke, Erin, Ethan, and Evan Erickson, Ciana Murphy, Ryleigh, Max and Toby Kleinke; sister, Lois (Robert) Poyzer of Crosby, MN; along with many nieces and nephews.
Burial will be in Wadena Cemetery, Wadena, MN.
**Obituary courtesy of Schuller Family Funeral Home, Wadena, MN.
Godfrey “Junior” Kleinke was born to Gottfried and Cora (Higgenbotham) Kleinke on June 9, 1925, in North Germany Township, Wadena County, MN. He attended District 48 Country School through the eighth grade. In 1945, he entered the US Army during WWII and served as a Corporal until his honorable discharge in 1947. Junior and Vera Neels were united in marriage on October 25, 1947, in Wadena, MN. It was where they made their home before moving to rural Verndale in 1977. They returned to Wadena in 2009. After years of Vera’s dedicated and loving care, it became apparent in 2013 that Junior needed to be at the Veterans Home in Fergus Falls.
Over the years Junior was employed at the Co-op Creamery, Goetz-Everson Motors, and NAPA. He will also be remembered as a well known worker at the Wadena Municipal Liquor Store for over 18 years, until his retirement in 1987. His spare time was spent enjoying the outdoors, whether it was hunting, fishing or snowmobiling. Junior was a member of the American Legion in Sebeka.
Junior was preceded in death by his parents Gottfried and Cora; sister Mary Steinkraus; and brother-in-law Henry Steinkraus.
Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Vera; son David (Linda) Kleinke all of Wadena; grandchildren Michael (Rhonda) Kleinke of Wadena, Amy Kleinke, Kimberly (Peter) Erickson, and Jonathan (Elizabeth) Kleinke all of Sidney, MT; great-grandchildren Brittani (Tyler) Schwartz, Brayden and Bryanna Kleinke, Caleb Kleinke, Erin, Ethan, and Evan Erickson, Ciana Murphy, Ryleigh, Max and Toby Kleinke; sister, Lois (Robert) Poyzer of Crosby, MN; along with many nieces and nephews.
Burial will be in Wadena Cemetery, Wadena, MN.
**Obituary courtesy of Schuller Family Funeral Home, Wadena, MN.
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