Kleve, Thomas Joseph 1953 - 2023
KLEVE, VOKATY, MULLEN, MASHEK, MIDTHUS, BOLSON, FERRIE, LADWIG, WEFLEN
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:26
Tom Kleve, age 70, of Cresco, Iowa, died on Monday, July 3, 2023, at Regional Health Services of Howard County in Cresco, Iowa surrounded by his family.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Tom will be held at Notre Dame Catholic Church on Friday, July 7, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. with Father Jacob Rouse officiating, and the rosary recited at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 6, 2023, from 4-8 p.m. at McAllister’s Heritage Events Center 229 3rd St W in Cresco, IA, and will continue at the church for one hour prior to the service on Friday. Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Thomas Joseph Kleve was born on March 7, 1953, son of Ralph “Arkie” and Joan “Joanie” (Vokaty) Kleve in Cresco, Iowa. He graduated with the class of 1971 from Notre Dame High School. On July 14, 1973, Tom married Mary Mullen at Assumption Catholic Church. The couple was 1 week shy of celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
Tom was many things on his journey through life: a faithful son, husband, father, father in-law, papa, truck driver, bar owner, faithful Catholic, self-taught guitarist and woodworker, avid Hawkeye, Vikings & Twins fan, and loved all things that had an engine.
The work he did was driven by the people he met along the way. Tom made life long friends everywhere. He held closely the fellow truck drivers, the people at each delivery stop (which all had nicknames), and the real people he met and visited with while bartending at Kleve’s Pub. He made those around him feel special. His sense of humor was one of a kind. Many will remember him for walking his faithful companion Scout, hearing him singing and playing guitar on the deck, cruising with Mary in the Chevelle, and visiting about cars, sports and racing. He enjoyed his weekly “wrenching” nights at Standard’s shop, planting and tending his garden with Macie and Tommy, and being “outstanding” in his garage. Tom volunteered his time at Notre Dame serving on the Parish Council, accompanying the choir on his guitar, and being a Eucharist Minister.
His most passionate role was that of husband, father and papa. He worked so hard to provide the best life for his family and to show us all how to enjoy life. He loved his family fiercely. He taught us to dazzle them with brilliance or baffle them with bullshit, which he was full of. Being raised by Tom as a father or papa meant you needed to take a moment to figure out if the story he was telling was fact or fiction. The girls grew up thinking his Vikings jersey was retired in the Cresco Kellow House Museum and the vest he kept from high school was what he wore while playing guitar with Jimi Hendrix. The girl’s friends cherished him and took ownership of the nicknames he bestowed upon them.
The hardest working strongest man we know is now at rest.
Tom is survived by his wife Mary Kleve of Cresco, daughters Brenda (Randy) Mashek of Cresco, and Sara Kleve of Cresco, grandchildren Macie and Tommy Mashek, sisters and brothers Debbie (Larry) Midthus of Cresco, Randy (Paula) Kleve of Ridgeway, IA, Sue (Wayne) Bolson of Cresco, and Curt (Nicki) Kleve of Cresco, brothers and sisters-in-law Pat (Jack) Ferrie of Cresco, Peg Mullen of Robinsdale, MN, John (Gilda) Mullen of Cresco, Colleen (Dale) Ladwig of Glenwood, MN, Barb Weflen of Faribault, MN, and Tom Mullen of Cresco, many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
He was preceded in death by his parents Arkie and Joanie Kleve, father and mother-in-law J.B. and Phyllis Mullen, and brother-in-law Danny “Yogi” Mullen, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Bill & Sue Mullen, and brother-in-law Harry Weflen.
A special thank you to RHSHC and CTCA for their exceptional care and compassion.Source: Hindt Funeral Home database
Calvary Cresco Cemetery
Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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