Mary Jean (Kluver) CHRISTENSEN PITHAN

CHRISTENSEN, PITHAN, DOAKES, KLUVER, HUBER, JONES, GUFFY, COOK, FILLBACH, MCCALL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/28/2015 at 22:25:41

May 22, 1934 ---- September 25, 2014

Mary Jean Christensen Pithan, the daughter of August “Augie” and I. Marian (Doakes) Kluver, was born May 22, 1934, in Charter Oak, IA. After graduating from Charter Oak High School, Mary entered the University of Iowa where she earned her nursing degree. During this time at Iowa, she met David Christensen, [from Eagle Grove, Iowa] whom she married on November 9, 1957. After living in various places, the couple settled Omaha, NE, where they would raise their children Lisa, Lori and Craig. Mary also continued her career as a registered nurse at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha for more than thirty years, and after retirement, spent her time doing private in-home nursing.

A few years ago, Mary, now a widow, reconnected with her high school sweetheart Leonard Pithan of Charter Oak, and their romance re-kindled. The couple married on June 8, 2013, at the Presbyterian Church of the Master in Omaha.

Mary’s hobbies included her literary book club, traveling extensively with Leonard, and cheering for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, as well as the Iowa Hawkeyes. However, since family was very important to her, Mary’s greatest hobby was genealogy, where she spent hours compiling information on the lineage of the Kluver family.

On September 25, 2014, Mary passed away at Nebraska Methodist Hospital in Omaha from renal failure resulting from surgical complications. Preceding her in death were her parents, first husband Dave, and sister Wilma Huber. Left to mourn her passing are her husband Leonard; sister Edna “Pooty” Jones and Bill Guffy of Des Moines, IA; brother Richard (Christine) Kluver of Harlan, IA; children Lisa (Andrew) Cook, Lori Fillbach, and Craig Christensen of Omaha, NE; step-children Scott (Virginie) Pithan of Mankato, MN and Patricia (Mike) McCall of Castana, IA; seven grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and a host of beloved friends.

Bulletin-Review -- Denison, Iowa
October 2, 2014