Lois I. (Horsfield) Kluesner, 1939-2012

KLUESNER, MCDERMOTT, HORSFIELD, KNEPPER, SMITH, OSTWINKLE, KRAPFL

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 2/24/2015 at 09:15:42

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Saturday, September 1, 2012

FARLEY, Iowa - Lois I. Kluesner, 73, of 303 Second Ave. SW, Farley, died Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, at Stonehill Care Center, Dubuque, surrounded by family after a brief battle with cancer.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 3, at
St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Farley, with the Rev. John Haugen officiating. Burial will be in

St. Joseph's Cemetery, Farley. Friends may call from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 2, at Reiff Funeral Home, Farley, where there will be a wake service at 1:30 p.m.

She was born on April 29, 1939, in Epworth, daughter of Walter M. and Cecelia E. (McDermott) Horsfield. She received her education in the Epworth rural school houses, graduating in 1957 from the Epworth High School.

She married Donald Kluesner on Oct. 10, 1959,

at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Epworth; he preceded her in death on Jan. 12, 2006.

During their years together, she provided care and comfort to Don during his 28 years of dialysis, in which she received training at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics that enabled her to do in-home dialysis for the first five years. Lois also provided in-home child care for many years during the day along with working for the Western Dubuque schools janitorial department in the evening.

After retirement, she continued to pursue her passion for caring for others by assisting many of the elderly in the Farley and surrounding areas by helping in various ways.

Lois enjoyed gardening, taking care of her yard and hanging out on the back porch with her companion, Pooka. She was an avid sports fan especially enjoying the Chicago Cubs and Iowa Hawkeyes and watching Marissa play for the Bobcats.

Surviving are three children, Steve "Bomber" (Karen) Kluesner, of Farley, Jeff "Smiley" (Rhonda) Kluesner, of Epworth, and Ann (Todd) Knepper, of Worthington; she enjoyed the time she spent with her grandchildren who include Chelsea and Marissa Kluesner, of Farley, Allison (special friend, Patrick Hicks), of Waterloo, Garrett and Anna Kluesner, of Epworth, and Brenna (Sam) Smith and Betsy (Andy) Ostwinkle, both of Epworth; two great-grandchildren, Bryndle Smith and Oliver Hicks, and an Ostwinkle baby girl, due in October; a sister, Janaan (Ken) Krapfl, of Monticello; brothers, Patrick (Verla) Horsfield, Irwin "Red" (Joyce) Horsfield and Ronald (Judith) Horsfield, all of Epworth, Dale (Jolene) Horsfield and Tim Horsfield, both of Dubuque; and a brother-in-law, Richard Kluesner, of Farley.

She also was preceded in death by her parents, Walter in 1995 and Cecelia in 1999; two brothers in infancy, Leo and Phillip Horsfield; and a sister-in-law, Henrietta Kluesner.

A Lois I. Kluesner Memorial Fund has been established.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com.

The family of Lois would like to extend their gratitude to Dr. Hermann and staff, also to all of her medical caregivers and to the staff of Stonehill Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque. A special thanks goes out to all her family and friends who shared their thoughts and prayers during her brief illness.