Leona Klosterbuer

LEONA KLOSTERBUER was born on March 8, 1916 to Harm and Effie (Pannkuk) Garrels on the farm near George, Iowa. She attended country school through the eighth grade. On February 10, 1938 Leona was united in marriage to Fred Klosterbuer at the Ebenezer Stateline Presbyterian Church near Ellsworth, Minnesota. The couple farmed near Ellsworth for 17 years. In 1957, they bought their own farm near Luverne, Minnesota and continued to farm there until retirement. Fred passed away after nearly 60 year of marriage to Leona on November 26, 1997. Leona continued to live an active life on the farm until age 95. She then moved into Poplar Creek assisted living facility in Luverne. In 2013 Leona moved to the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne, where on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 she died peacefully at the age of 100 years and eight days.

Leona was a member of the United Methodist Church in Luverne. On the farm, she enjoyed raising chickens and sewing. She was known for her pumpkin bread, plum jam and pineapple salad. Leona also enjoyed her grandchildren and watching them grow up.

Leona is lovingly remembered by her son, Raymond Klosterbuer (Karen) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; daughter, Donna (Jim) Kirchner of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; four grandchildren, Michelle (Mike) Gray, Stacey (Chad) Mason, Steven Klosterbuer, and Amy (Patrick) Trujillo; seven great-grandchildren, Taylor and Nicole Lowe, Alex Kirchner, Jason, Ethan and Brandon Gray, and Phinehas Trujillo; one great-great-granddaughter, Lilith Kirchner; sister, Viola Klosterbuer of Ellsworth; and sister-in-law, Caroline Garrels of Des Moines, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred; parents; and four siblings, Marvin Garrels, Ivadell Wiertzema, Loren “Bud” Garrels and Lorraine Ehrens.