Clara Elena Louise Klein

Clara Elena Louise Klein passed away June 25, 2022, at Allure Nursing Home in Mt. Carroll, IL, after a short illness. Funeral service will be held at 12:00 p.m., Saturday, July 2, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Savanna, IL. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. prior to the service at the church. Pastor Luke Thomford will officiate. Burial will be in the Savanna Township Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established. Friends and family may livestream the service at https://www.facebook.com/groups/414583253924863/?ref=share_group_link

Clara was born on August 6, 1929, to Louis and Ida (Weede) Gruenwald in Nashville, IA, west of Maquoketa. Clara grew up on a farm, the youngest of seven children. She graduated from Savanna High School with the class of 1948. As there was a teacher shortage, she attended a summer course at Mount Saint Claire College in Clinton, IA, which qualified her to teach for three years in a one room country school where she had 13 students.

Clara married Albert Klein on June3, 1951, in Savanna. They settled in Savanna after Albert was discharged from the Army where Albert began working for the Milwaukee Railroad and later became the Manager/ Treasurer of the Blackhawk Area Credit Union. Both of their parents also lived in Savanna at the time. Clara was a stay at home mother of seven children, and then later retired from Eaton Corp in Savanna and Hanover after 19 years. Albert passed away on October 17, 2002.

Clara and Albert were faithful members of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Savanna where she belonged to the Lydian Society and Altar Guild. She also belonged to the Savanna Women’s Service Club. She enjoyed flower gardening, bird watching, digital photography and traveling. She loved following her family on Facebook, especially her grandchildren. She and her friends attended many activities at the Savanna Museum and the Timberlake Playhouse. She always watched the news and would often remind us when figure skating and parades were going to be on. She was happy to be able to live independently on the family farm until the end of her life; a gentle, loving woman with a strong Christian faith.

Clara is survived by her seven children, Susan (Richard) Keppler of Savanna, Jane Klein of Savanna, Stephen (Mary) Klein of Maquoketa, IA, Elaine (Ronnie) Ashley of Springfield, MO, Pamela Delp of Savanna, Cheryl (David) Body of Mattoon, IL, and Mark (Hilary) Klein of Freeport, IL; 20 grandchildren, Curt (Amanda Moseley) Keppler, Jason (Amy Jacobs) Keppler, Megan (Steven) Sifert, Jan Klein, Stephen Klein II, Aaron Sue (Brian) Grahlman, Adam Klein, Amanda (Brian) Hartley, Michael (Laura) Ashley, Sarah (Jeremy) Thornton, Andrew (Jennifer) Ashley, Brian (Sara) Delp, Kristy (Travis) Turner, Clint (Gretchen) Body, Samuel Crosnoe, Chandra Cravens, Kayla Klein, Marcus Klein, Jacob (Hope Brummitt) Klein, and Cheryl Ann (Nathan Carr) Klein; 35 great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Marcia (Charlie) Dauphin; and special friends, Tom and Lydia Root.

Clara is preceded in death by her husband Albert, her parents, Louis and Ida; her in-laws, Julius and Eleanore (Westaby) Klein; her siblings and their spouses, Harvey (Dorothy) Gruenwald, Alvin (Cyrilla, Greta) Gruenwald, Leo (Velma) Gruenwald, Robert Gruenwald, Eileen (Ora Good, Bill) Schumacher, and Eugene (Pat) Gruenwald; one son-in-law, Michael Delp; two brother-in-laws, Robert and Wilbur Klein; two sister-in-laws, Clara (Miller) Scaletta, and Ruth (Smith) Wilson.