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Durian, Clarabelle Ann
Clarabelle Ann Durian was born July 21, 1926, in East Pleasant Plain, Iowa, the daughter of Frank and Helen (Caharris) Kaska. She died Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010, at Mercy Iowa City at 83 years of age. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at the Kalona Christian Fellowship Church in Kalona, with Pastor Larry Rediger, Pastor Shawn Powell and Mr. Ernest Kaska officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Wassonville Cemetery, rural Wellman. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Yoder-Powell Funeral Home in Kalona, where the family will greet friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.
Clarabelle graduated from high school and went to Parsons College in Fairfield. She was united in marriage to Howard Durian on June 9, 1949; they later divorced. She taught school after college, then worked at home raising her children. She later worked in food service for the Mid-Prairie School District, retiring in 2005. She attended the Kalona Christian Fellowship Church. She enjoyed spending time with her family, friends, and her Bible study group.
Clarabelle is survived by seven children, Patrick Durian of Wellman, Mary Kauffman (Jerry) of Kalona, Michael Durian of Wellman, John Durian (Robin) of Coralville, Tom Durian (Marcie) of North Liberty, Jim Durian (Jennifer) of Cedar Rapids and Terry Durian of Wellman; seven grandchildren, Shawn Kauffman, Shane Miller, McKenna Durian, Britney Durian, Ashley Durian, Austin Durian and Victoria Durian; and 10 brothers and sisters, Marian Pohlit of Loveland, Colo., Ardell Kaska of Fairfield, Marcella Greiner of Washington, Walter Kaska of Denver, Colo., Cletus Kaska of West Liberty, Larry Kaska of Muscatine, Ron Kaska of Mount Pleasant, Ernest Ksaka of Denver, Colo., Kay Swain of Sarasota, Fla., and Connie Staebel of Denver, Colo.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Victoria Durian; and two brothers, Merlin Kaska and Gale Kaska.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for Wassonville Cemetery or Mercy Hospice Care Unit.
Messages may be sent to the family at
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