Karen Ann Bendzick Kleinschmidt

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Tuesday August 27, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church in St. Cloud for Karen Ann Bendzick Kleinschmidt, 80, who passed away Friday, August 23, 2024 at Quiet Oaks Hospice House after an ongoing struggle with Lewy Body Dementia. The Rev. Jeremy Ploof will officiate and entombment will be at Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud. Visitation will be at Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. on Monday August 26th and one hour prior to the services at the church. Parish prayers will be held at 4:00p.m. on Monday.
Karen was born on November 14, 1943 to Raymond and Mildred (Balk) Bendzick and she spent her childhood on the family dairy farm in rural Le Sueur County. She loved being her dad's helper on the farm where the lifestyle of hard work and communal harvest with neighbors instilled many of her virtues. She attended Le Sueur Public Schools, including a rural one room school and she graduated from Le Sueur High School. Karen graduated from the St. Cloud Hospital School of Nursing in 1964 and with her RN BSN from the College of St. Benedict in 1989. She worked at the St. Cloud Hospital for over 40 years.
Karen was united in marriage to Dale Kleinschmidt on September 4, 1965. They celebrated over 58 years of marriage as an inseparable duo of mutual love and respect. Together they parented Timothy (Carol Waletzko), Kristin, Kathryn (Jason Theisen) and Paul (Nina Arevalo). Karen and Dale were overjoyed to have 14 grandchildren and two great grandchildren, with several more great grandchildren in utero that she would love to swaddle coming this fall. Karen was a faithful servant and was happiest around her family, in her garden and when serving others. Her life will be celebrated and remembered as one of steadfast dedication to her family, friends, and community. Her legacy of love and service will continue to live on in the lives of those she touched.
Karen is survived by her loving husband of 58 years, four children, 14 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, sister Marva (Phil) Jorgensen, brother Robert (Deb) Bendzick, sister-in-law Mary Bendzick, and brother-in-law Bob (Phyllis) Kleinschmidt. She was preceded in death by her parents Raymond and Mildred and her brother E. Joseph Bendzick.
A special thank you to those that cared for her at the St. Cloud Hospital, Benedictine (Assumption) Community in Cold Spring and at Quiet Oaks Hospice House.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are preferred to Cathedral Middle and High School, Quiet Oaks Hospice, and the food shelf of Catholic Charities of St. Cloud.