LeRoy W. Klavetter

LeRoy Klavetter, 89, passed away on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at his residence surrounded by his loved ones. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, December 21, 2023 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Brookings, SD. A Visitation will be held the night prior from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Rude's Funeral Home in Brookings. Our Savior Lutheran Church will live-stream the Funeral Service at https://www.oslcbrookings.net/page/online-worship.
LeRoy Klavetter was welcomed into this world on a bitter cold and wintery day January 22, 1934 to Emil and Susan (Stockmeyer) Klavetter, unsure if the weather would allow them into the safety of Estelline from the rural area??. What an entrance he made and a blessing he was! He grew up in Clear Lake where he fostered his love for learning and sports, his favorites being Baseball and Basketball. Growing up, his parents instilled honest and hard work in him a true appreciation to love and help people grow in a positive way. He worked hard taking on such jobs as hauling meat into the local grocery store, which was not an easy task, to being a pin setter at the bowling alley, to planting trees at Oakwood State Park in his younger years. He always took pride in each stepping stone in life, graduating from Clear Lake High School in 1952 and then going on to fulfill his passion and desire to teach. He attended SDSU for 4 years where he also discovered his love and loyalty to his country joining ROTC, which was the beginning of his 30 years of service to his country in the National Guard and Reserve as well as accomplishing Enlisted Solider of the year 1978-1979.
June 5, 1955 LeRoy married his high school sweetheart, Arlene Gaede, and went on to bless their family with 4 children.
LeRoy started out the next 40 years coaching and teaching math beginning in White, then South Shore and in 1966 came to Brookings where he taught until 1996 and continued to substitute teach for 14 years. He had a passion to help students, family and friends to understand Algebra. He truly loved teaching and genuinely looked forward to going to school each day. His students may fondly remember him saying "Can of corn or piece of cake!"
Through the years LeRoy loved to play cards with family and friends. He also enjoyed golfing, league bowling and was on the Spies slow pitch softball team in which they played on to win state champs from 1971-1973. LeRoy was also a very loyal fan of the Bobcats, Jackrabbits, Twins and Vikings.
LeRoy joyfully attended Our Saviors Lutheran Church where he and Arlene were charter members, remembering in the 1960's when church services were held on the main floor of a small two-story home in the SDSU campus area. He held various positions within the church including Financial Secretary for many years and was extremely proud and honored to serve God.
In his retirement years he and Arlene traveled to Laughlin, Nevada for about 5-6 weeks at a time during the winter months for about 16 years and in the summer months he grew to love gardening including assorted vegetables and discounted flowers, as we loved to watch them transform from a shriveled-up bunch of leaves into beautiful blooms of flowers.
Eternally grateful to have shared his love and integrity in life, is his forever love, Arlene, his children Mike Klavetter of Brookings, Jeff Klavetter (Faith) of Flandreau and Lisa Christenson (Troy Behlings) of Volga. 9 Grandchildren, Cassey Nygaard, Chaisty Klavetter, Tayler Klavetter, Kylie Christenson, Cody Behlings, Jerome Jandreau, Vance Jandreau and Sophea Julson, 25 great grandchildren and 3 great- great grandchildren. His brother, Emil Klavetter of Sioux Falls, brother-in-law Ole Olerud, Clear Lake, Terry and Dorla Thiele, Maple Grove Mn. And many extended family and friends.
Welcoming him home in heaven is his son, Randy Klavetter, his parents, Emil and Susan Klavetter, In-Laws George and Ethel Gaede, Brothers and sister -in laws, Gladys and Herb Dahlgren, Cleo Olerud, Bernie and Ardie Neiman, Jerry and Marvel Dumke, Arnie and Karin Severson, Ethel Klavetter and numerous friends.
Pretty sure there will be a game of Pinochle or Hand and Foot going on!
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