1936
John
2011
John Kleinhans
March 28, 1936 — October 10, 2011
Memorial services for John Kleinhans of Donnelly, MN will be held Friday, October 14, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church in Donnelly. Reverend Judy Gelinske will be officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. Burial will be in Vinger Cemetery, rural Donnelly. Military honors will be provided by the Morris American Legion, VFW and AmVets.
John Lewis Kleinhans, son of Carl and Kate (Hickman) Kleinhans, was born March 28, 1936 in Eldorado Township in Stevens County, Minnesota, where he grew up and attended school through the 11th grade. Following his schooling, John worked on the oil wells in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado from 1954 to 1958. He was then drafted into the United States Army, where he was stationed during peace time at Fort Dixe, NJ and Camp Drum, NY. When he received an honorable discharge in 1960, John returned to Donnelly, where he began farming. On November 25, 1961, he was united in marriage to Margaret Erickson at Fron Lutheran Church in Starbuck, MN. The couple made their home near Donnelly, where they continued to farm and John drove truck for Eystad Trucking and Riley Brothers Construction. In 2003, John retired from farming but continued to live on the farm. John enjoyed fishing, attending auction sales, old time Threshing Bees, and working in his shop.
John died on Monday, October 10, 2011 at his home in rural Donnelly. He lived to reach the age of 75 years.
He is survived by his wife: Margaret Kleinhans; three daughters: Kathy (Jamey) Eystad of Donnelly, Kaylene (Loren) Mecklenburg of Morris and Karen (Mark) Van Horn of Donnelly; seven grandchildren: Jesse (Misty) Eystad, Zachary Eystad, Cody Eystad, Ashley Mecklenburg, Megan Mecklenburg, Kaitlin Van Horn and Melanie Van Horn; three great-grandchildren: Cael, Chalee and Kane Eystad; one sister: Mary Blake of Alexandria; sister-in-law: Lois Kleinhans of Medford, OR; brothers and sisters-in-law: Bonnie Erickson of Starbuck, Don and Bea Krussow of Hutchinson, Dennis and Phyllis Erickson of Glenwood, Vernon Erickson of Glenwood, Harvey Erickson of Akron, OH, Don and Eloise Erickson of Starbuck, Mike and Mary Erickson of Starbuck and Dan and June Levandoski of Hopkins and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by an infant daughter; his parents; one brother: Charles Kleinhans; two brothers-in-law: Don Blake and Robert Erickson; one sister-in-law: Carol Erickson and parents-in-law: Newman and Mildred Erickson.
Honorary pallbearers are John's sons-in-law: Jamey Eystad, Loren Mecklenburg and Mark Van Horn and all of John's grandchildren. Lola Smith will serve as organist for the service. Pedersen Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to the American Diabetes Association and the Donnelly Fire and Rescue.
John Lewis Kleinhans, son of Carl and Kate (Hickman) Kleinhans, was born March 28, 1936 in Eldorado Township in Stevens County, Minnesota, where he grew up and attended school through the 11th grade. Following his schooling, John worked on the oil wells in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado from 1954 to 1958. He was then drafted into the United States Army, where he was stationed during peace time at Fort Dixe, NJ and Camp Drum, NY. When he received an honorable discharge in 1960, John returned to Donnelly, where he began farming. On November 25, 1961, he was united in marriage to Margaret Erickson at Fron Lutheran Church in Starbuck, MN. The couple made their home near Donnelly, where they continued to farm and John drove truck for Eystad Trucking and Riley Brothers Construction. In 2003, John retired from farming but continued to live on the farm. John enjoyed fishing, attending auction sales, old time Threshing Bees, and working in his shop.
John died on Monday, October 10, 2011 at his home in rural Donnelly. He lived to reach the age of 75 years.
He is survived by his wife: Margaret Kleinhans; three daughters: Kathy (Jamey) Eystad of Donnelly, Kaylene (Loren) Mecklenburg of Morris and Karen (Mark) Van Horn of Donnelly; seven grandchildren: Jesse (Misty) Eystad, Zachary Eystad, Cody Eystad, Ashley Mecklenburg, Megan Mecklenburg, Kaitlin Van Horn and Melanie Van Horn; three great-grandchildren: Cael, Chalee and Kane Eystad; one sister: Mary Blake of Alexandria; sister-in-law: Lois Kleinhans of Medford, OR; brothers and sisters-in-law: Bonnie Erickson of Starbuck, Don and Bea Krussow of Hutchinson, Dennis and Phyllis Erickson of Glenwood, Vernon Erickson of Glenwood, Harvey Erickson of Akron, OH, Don and Eloise Erickson of Starbuck, Mike and Mary Erickson of Starbuck and Dan and June Levandoski of Hopkins and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by an infant daughter; his parents; one brother: Charles Kleinhans; two brothers-in-law: Don Blake and Robert Erickson; one sister-in-law: Carol Erickson and parents-in-law: Newman and Mildred Erickson.
Honorary pallbearers are John's sons-in-law: Jamey Eystad, Loren Mecklenburg and Mark Van Horn and all of John's grandchildren. Lola Smith will serve as organist for the service. Pedersen Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to the American Diabetes Association and the Donnelly Fire and Rescue.
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