Gloria Kleen

Gloria Mae Kleen was born on December 9, 1936, to Edward and Sophia (Buelow) Rusch in Watertown, South Dakota. In 1948, the family settled in Sioux Valley, Minnesota. It was there that Gloria was confirmed in the Christian faith at Trinity Lutheran Church in 1952. After graduating from Sioux Valley School in 1955, she worked as a telephone operator in Windom, Minnesota for a short time. On June 17, 1956, Gloria was united in marriage to Glen Kleen at Sioux Valley, Minnesota. To this union of over 52 years, four children were born. Gloria was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School and was a member of the Ladies Aid. In addition to being a full time farm wife, Gloria worked at Sathers for fifteen years from where she retired in 2000. In her retirement, she enjoyed camping, which took Glen and Gloria to Texas during the winter months for many years. In her free time, she enjoyed bird watching, gardening, baking and various crafts, especially stamping and quilting. Gloria always enjoyed her many good friends and a good game of 500. Gloria passed away at seventy-one years of age at the Lake Park Care Center on October 1, 2008 after a year long battle with cancer. Gloria is survived by her husband, Glen of Sioux Valley; three children, son, Lowell and his wife, Pam, and their children, Matt, Trenton and Tiffany and great-grand-daughter, Hanna Mae of Norwalk, Iowa, son, Rick and his wife, Kathy, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, daughter, Julie of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Gloria is also survived by her sister, Darlene; brothers, Larry, Verlin and Dennis. Gloria was preceded in death by her parents and an infant daughter, Laurie.