Donald E. Klaschen 1931-2002

KLASCHEN POWELL DIERKSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/11/2011 at 00:04:11

Sioux City Journal
24 Jan 2002

KINGSLEY, Iowa -- Donald E. Klaschen, 70, of Kingsley died unexpectedly Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at United Methodist Church in Kingsley, with the Rev. Paul Evans officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Pierson, Iowa. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., at Earnest-Michaelson Funeral Home in Kingsley.

Donald was born June 15, 1931, in Wolsey, S.D., the son of John and Martha (Dierksen) Klaschen. His family later moved to Cherokee County, Iowa, where he attended rural school before graduating from Grand Meadows School in 1950.

He married Ellen Powell on July 23, 1952, in Remsen, Iowa. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 until his honorable discharge in 1956. He served on the carrier USS Hancock in Japan, Hawaii and the Philippine Islands. After his discharge, he farmed with Dale Powell near Kingsley. He later farmed with Arnold Berglund, Ford Ralston and Doc Woodbridge. He raised and showed Charolais cattle. He and Ellen owned and operated Klaschen's Kountry Kitchen Cafe. Then for 17 years worked for the Kingsley-Pierson School as a custodian. After retiring in 1992, he continued to mow lawns and do snow removal for various people while enjoying his hobbies of fishing and camping.

Survivors include his wife, Ellen of Kingsley; five sons and their wives, Jerry and Sheila of Pierson, John and Dottie of Sioux City, Calvin and Dawn of Pierson, Scott and Kim of Anthon, Iowa, and Todd "T.J." and Stephanie of Correctionville, Iowa; three daughters, Debra Klaschen and her friend, Gary Jepsen of Alvaredo, Texas, Patty Considine of Sioux City and Sharon Dalton of Sioux City; a brother and his wife, Keith and Twila of Washta, Iowa; 13 grandchildren, Bill, Bobby, Jeni, Sara, Kelly, Kristen, Mike, Kati, Erin, Shelby, Cody, Hailey and Becky; two great-grandchildren, Brooke and Matthew; and two sisters-in-law, Shirley Erichsen of Remsen, Iowa, and Ellen Klaschen of Marcus, Iowa.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Walter "Wally" and Delmer; an infant sister who died at birth; three grandchildren, Dustin, Austin and Casey; and a son-in-law, Thomas Considine.