Pearl Lillian Kloempken

Obituary

Pearl Kloempken passed on to her eternal resting place on Good Friday, April 14th, 2017 at Glencoe Regional Health Services Long Term Care (LTC) in Glencoe, Minnesota.  She had reached the age of 90 years and 27 days.  She was born Pearl Lillian Franck on March 18, 1927, to William and Frieda (Bartels) Franck in rural Norwood, Minnesota.  She really was a middle child- born 7th in a family of 13. Seven became her lucky number all of her life.  As a child of the Depression she grew up understanding it was important to save all sorts of items that may be needed at a later date.  Later in life she took recycling and reusing to an inspirational level. She went to country school and vividly remembered the 1940 Armistice Day Blizzard when the teacher and school children held hands and walked through the storm to a neighbor's home.  She was happy when they started the school lunch program so she could buy hot dish, milk, and sandwiches in public school.  She received her Christian education at the United Church of Christ-Church of Peace in Norwood.  During WW II her eldest brother, Wilmer, was killed on the Bataan Death March in 1942, which affected her greatly.  She enjoyed Glee Club and prom in high school.  In 1945, she graduated from Central High School in Norwood Minnesota.  

Pearl was united in marriage to Gordon Kloempken on June 11, 1946, at St. George Catholic Church.  She became a devout and faithful Catholic after her marriage to Gordon.  To this union 6 children were born: Mary, Marsha, Susan, Mark, John and Carolyn.  They were married almost 62 years until Gordon's passing in 2008.  After Gordon was discharged from the Army, they resided in Wayzata and she was a cook / maid for the Atwood family.  In 1950, they moved to the Kloempken home farm south of Glencoe, where they lived until moving into town in 1972.  While on the farm she always had a large garden, most of its produce she canned and froze.  She milked cows, raised chickens and enjoyed sewing clothes / household items.  Her greatest challenge while living on the farm was not having indoor plumbing.  

She worked at Lindys, Lake Marion, and Green Giant in Glencoe as a husker, always motivated to get the bonus for her speedy work.  She received her Child Development Associate degree in 1977.  She was a Head Start Aide and then Teacher for 25 years.  In later years some of her former Head Start students took care of her at LTC.  She volunteered at the Glencoe Hospital Gift Shop and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.  She was also a faithful member of her Bible Study Group for many years.  While living at LTC she loved all of the activities – especially Bingo and 500.  She was in heaven on Easter, so we had a small gathering to play a memorial card game of 500.  She was the most social person we've ever met.  She was a real “gem” as she would like to say, a Pearl.  If she met you once she would remember your name, who you were related to and where you lived.  She was so happy that she got to visit with so many relatives and friends at her 90th birthday party in March.

Pearl loved her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family - children Mary Blackwell (Barney Lundeen), Marsha Schrupp, Sue Lorence (Dave), Mark Kloempken (Julie Tyler), Carolyn Burri. Grandchildren - Tracy Blackwell, Jarrod Blackwell (Selina), Leah Werowinski (Jason), Jon Schrupp (Melissa), Mike Lorence (Anna), Mackenzie Kloempken, Aaron Burri (Victoria), Madison Tyler; and her great-grandchildren- Alyssa Steglich, Patrick Werowinski, Sophia Blackwell, Jocelyn Blackwell, and Aria Schrupp. She is also survived by her brothers- Lloyd (Donna) Franck, Stanley (Glenda) Franck, Roger (Lois) Franck, sister-in-laws- Marilyn Franck, Donna Hahn; brother-in-law Ray Graupmann and many other family and friends.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Jack, grandchildren Melissa Blackwell as a newborn and Bob Lorence, son-in-law Kurt Schrupp, brothers - Wilmer Franck, Elroy Franck, Donald Franck, William Franck; sisters- Florence Roufs, Esther Schrupp, Ruth Zumberge, Shirley Graupmann and Betty Debner.  Memorials can be given to St Pius X Church or the McLeod Emergency Food Shelf.  Interment will be at a later date at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.