Shirley Klenk

Funeral Services celebrating the life of Shirley Marie Klenk,92, of Eden Prairie will be 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at Lake Avenue Family Fellowship Church in Paynesville. Visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the church. Shirley passed away Friday March 14, 2025 with family by her side.
Shirley was born November 26, 1932 in Amery, Wisconsin to Alf and Amanda (Ecker) Rude. She graduated from Stillwater High School in 1951, and attended Northwestern Bible College in St. Paul, where she worked as a secretary in the office of then college president Billy Graham.
In 1953 she married John R. Klenk. Their first daughter, Jeanne, was born in Hudson, WI. Shirley and Jeanne followed John to Mt. Clemens, Michigan where he served in the U.S. Army at Selfridge AFB where daughter Laura and son Tim were born. Upon returning to Minnesota Shirley worked at Maple Island in Stillwater while John worked for Nutrena Feeds. Their third daughter, Gloria, was born in Stillwater. The family lived in Buffalo, Minnesota for a year where Lois was born.

In 1960 John took a job with Paynesville Turkey Industry. Shirley’s attention was devoted to the care of her family. She raised a large garden every year, preserving most of the vegetables and fruits for her family of 9. She sewed most of the clothes the children wore, and she made sure the children stayed busy helping with chores.

A social luxury for Shirley was her membership in the Paynesville Booklover’s club, which nurtured her intellectual curiosity and provided life-long friendships. The entire Klenk family was active in Calvary Baptist church. Shirley was a member of the choir and frequently sang solos. She served as the Sunday School Superintendent and assisted with Vacation Bible School. Her husband John became employed by Jennie-O. Shirley joined the Willmar Public Schools as a paraprofessional aide to children with significant physical disabilities. She became certified in American Sign Language and was devoted to the children to whom she was assigned, staying in touch with them long after her employment ended.

Following her retirement Shirley took up golf at the behest of John, who was eager for her to join him on the links. She also studied and became certified in foot reflexology, eventually starting her own business, Footworks Plus. John and Shirley were active members of First Baptist Church in Willmar, where they made many special friends. Together they traveled overseas, to Austria where Jeanne was employed and to Norway to visit relatives of Shirley.

After her husband’s death in 1998 Shirley moved back to Stillwater to be closer to her siblings and cousins. She traveled often to visit family members, bravely driving by herself across the country. She was also a delegate to the Republican State Convention. Shirley fiercely maintained her independence until Alzheimer’s made it impossible to live alone.

Shirley’s legacy of faith in Christ sustains and comforts her surviving children: Jeanne (Jerry) Titus, Laura Klenk, Timothy (Susie) Klenk, Lois (Joe) Bonner, Steven (Katherine) Klenk, and Paul Klenk; grandchildren Michael, Andrew and David Klenk, Sarah (Chris) Verette, Amanda and Leah Bonner, Stuart (McKenna) Klenk, William and Elliot Klenk, and great grandchildren Talitha and Stevie Verette, and Sofia Klenk. She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter Gloria and husband John.

Arrangements by Daniel-Anderson Funeral Home, Paynesville, MN