Doris Klejch

Born July 26, 1930, in a tenant farmhouse in Delphos, Iowa, Doris Marguerite Pratt arrived as one half of a mischievous twin pair alongside brother Donald Marvin - the youngest of Clark and Effie Pratt's family of five boys and five girls. Her father's response became family lore: "It's time to quit when they start coming in twos."
Doris's childhood was marked by humble beginnings as they resided in a basic two-story tenant house with no running water, an outdoor toilet, and a wood stove for cooking and heating. Much of her elementary education was in a one-room country schoolhouse where all grades through 8th attended with 27 children and one teacher. When asked later in life about her childhood memories, they weren't of want or need, it was of lying beneath an apple tree on summer days, marveling at God's handiwork.
From her earliest days, Doris was blessed with parents who gave her something far more valuable than material comfort - they gave her a legacy of faith. Clark and Effie Pratt were devout Christians who modeled what it meant to love and serve the Lord. The family attended church faithfully - Sunday morning and evening services, and Wednesday night prayer meetings
- not out of obligation, but out of genuine devotion. The children were taught to memorize God's Word, to pray, and to depend on God's help throughout their lives. Clark helped establish the Advent Christian church in Ringgold County, demonstrating that faith wasn't just something you talked about on Sundays, but something you built your life around.
This Christian foundation became the bedrock of Doris's entire life. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior at age 8, and from that moment forward, her relationship with Jesus shaped every decision, every priority, and every prayer. Her parents had shown her the way, and she never wavered from that path.
After her father's death from pneumonia in 1942, the family moved from the farm to Mt. Ayr to seek gainful employment for her mother and the remaining five children. Those were lean years but Doris carried with her the certainty her parents had instilled: the Lord provides. Always.
After graduating from Mt. Ayr High School in 1948, Doris moved to Des Moines to work for Equitable Insurance. In October of that year, she relocated to Omaha, Nebraska - a move doubtlessly motivated by the presence of her fiancé, Norman Klejch, whom she'd met at the Mt. Ayr skating rink when she was a sophomore in high school. They married May 15, 1949, in Tingley, Iowa, beginning a love story that would span 65 years. Doris always called him "the finest fella I ever knew. Norm was the love of my life."
In the spring of 1950, the lure of family and farm life drew them back home to the Diagonal, Iowa area where they began farming. They eventually purchased a small farm where they welcomed four children: Craig Kevin, Jerri Janelle, Sherri Michelle, and Valerie Dene. Doris and Norm were determined to pass on the legacy of faith they had received as they made church the center of their family life, raising their children to know and love the Lord.
To better provide for his family, Norm entered the insurance business with Farm Bureau, a career that would span 18 years. In 1966, they purchased a larger farmstead that became their home for the next 25 years.
Doris wore many hats during those years and made it all look effortless. As a farm wife and mother of four, she managed a large garden, sewed countless dresses and prom gowns, cooked meals for a family of six, and chauffeured her children to endless activities - all while maintaining a home and looking impeccable while doing anything and everything. Beyond the
farm, she was actively engaged in neighborhood clubs and faithfully served at the four churches she attended throughout her life, holding leadership and volunteer roles and singing joyfully in each church choir. Doris would have been the first to say none of this would have been possible without the support of the best in-laws she could have ever asked for, Jerry and Lillian Klejch.
When their children were grown, Doris and Norm took a bold step, establishing Klejch Insurance and Real Estate agency. Doris earned her insurance and real estate broker licenses, becoming an integral part of the agency's success over 30 years. In business as in life, her faith guided her - treating others with integrity and kindness, living out Matthew 7:12, one of her favorite verses: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Doris and Norm's home was filled with laughter and friendship. They had a large circle of family and close friends and spent countless evenings playing games, cards, and 10-point pitch that stretched late into the night. Their marriage was marked by joy and adventure - Norm's role on the school board gave them opportunities to travel around the country attending National School Board conventions, while his success as a top insurance salesman in Iowa earned them memorable incentive trips around the world. In 1992, Doris and Norm moved to Mt. Ayr into their forever home. After 30 years, they sold the agency in 2013 due to Norm's declining health. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on May 15, 2014. Six days later, on May 21, 2014, Doris said goodbye to her lifelong partner, trusting in God's promise that this separation was
only temporary.
When asked what meant most to her, Doris answered: "The satisfaction I have from a blessed life of being a parent of 4 wonderful kids, 7 incredible grandchildren, 7 delightful great grandchildren, and wife to a loving husband. May my life and legacy be a testimony of God's great love."
On January 2, 2026, at the age of 95, Doris Marguerite Pratt Klejch entered heaven, meeting her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ face-to-face, and reunited with the love of her life Norm, her beloved daughter Sherri, and countless cherished family and friends.
Doris is survived by three of her children: Craig Klejch of Diagonal, IA; Janelle Huffman (David) of Ankeny, IA; Valerie McClaran (Dale) of Independence, MO; and Randall Nelson, surviving spouse of Sherri of Otley, IA. Grandchildren Tiffany Kelley (Daniel) of Wilton, IA; Christopher Nelson (Emily Wentworth) of Post Falls, ID; Ashley Nelson of Lowell, IN; Ally Freed (David) of Minneapolis, MN; Andrea Hoge (John) of Minneapolis, MN; Lindsey May (Mitchell) of Kansas City, MO; Collin McClaran of Kansas City, MO; great-grandchildren Madison and Emma Kelley, Bridger, Braevyn, and Banner Freed, Barrett and Aspen Nelson; and countless lives touched by her steadfast faith, generous spirit, and love.
The family expresses deep gratitude for the compassionate care Doris received from the staff at Clearview Assisted Living, Mt. Ayr Health Care Center, and Dr. Willcox.
Visitation will be held at the First Christian Church in Mt Ayr on Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 11:00am to 12:00pm with services beginning at 12:00pm. Following the 1:00pm luncheon at the church, burial will take place at the Diagonal Bohemian Cemetery, where Doris will rest beside Norm.
The legacy Doris leaves behind is one of faithful, persistent love - a woman who never stopped praying, never stopped hoping, and never stopped believing in the goodness of God.
Memorials may be directed to the First Christian Church in Mt. Ayr, Iowa and United Church of Diagonal, Iowa.