A Mass of Christian Burial for Leola L. Kliegl of Emmetsburg was held Monday, March 29, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Emmetsburg. Celebrant was the Rev. Bill Schreiber.
Interment was in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, Emmetsburg. The Martin-Mattice Funeral Home in Emmetsburg was in charge of arrangements.
Leola Lillian Gravlund was born Nov. 22, 1932, to Adolph and Laura (Dyer) Gravlund of Ayrshire. She soon became known as “Sis” to her many close family and friends. Leola received her education in Ayrshire and excelled on the high school basketball team. She graduated from Silver Lake High School.
Leola met her future husband, Larry Kliegl in 1957 in Emmetsburg. They were married on June 27, 1959 and were blessed with five children. Leola and Larry made their home in Emmetsburg where they raised their family.
Leola was employed at the ASCS Office in Emmetsburg where she helped farmers with crop and acreage certification.
She was a long-time faithful member of Holy Family Catholic Church, church circle and Catholic Daughters of the Americas. Leola was also a member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary in Emmetsburg, helping with many events held at the post. She placed flags at the graves of veterans on Memorial Day and participated in the Memorial Day service for many years. Leola was very active in the Red Hat Society and looked forward to attending meetings with her fellow members.
Leola and Larry enjoyed spending time with their many friends and family, going to dances at the Plantation near Whittemore in their early years of marriage, taking family vacations with their kids when they were growing up and later bus trips during their retirement years. They also enjoyed going out for dinner with their best friends or just the two of them, sharing a “date night”. They were blessed to have shared nearly 62 years together.
Leola passed away Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at the Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg, at the age of 88. She was preceded in death by her parents, Adolph and Laura Gravlund; brother and sister-in-law, Cleo and Shirley Gravlund; and sister and brother-in-law, Maurine and Leslie Peterson.
Leola left many people behind to mourn her loss, including her husband, Larry; daughters, Lynn Blass (Randy) and Cheryl Bakker (Doug); sons, Greg Kliegl (Patti), Jeff Kliegl (Niccie) and Tom Kliegl (Debbie); her eight grandchildren, Brittany, Raya, Andrew, Riley, Brett, Julia, J J, and Matthew; one great grandchild, Iris; as well as many other relatives and friends.
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