Raymond Kleinow

RAYMOND LEROY KLEINOW

Monticello

Raymond LeRoy Kleinow, 90, died Thursday, April 1, 2021, at the Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center following a brief illness. Services will be held at a date to be announced.

Surviving is his wife, Ruth; five children, Mike (Kathy) Kleinow, North Liberty, Iowa. Janet (Douglas) Cederholm, Rochester, Minn., Barbara (Robert) Funke, Fontanelle, Iowa, Linda Kleinow, Monticello, Iowa, and Mary (Gary) Dura, Dubuque, Iowa; a daughter-in-law, Sharon Kleinow, Iowa City, Iowa; two stepdaughters, Tammy Koch, Bloomington, Minn., and Sara Koch-Stanley, Johnston, Iowa; nine grandchildren, Heather (Tom), Amber (Nathan), Jason, Justin (Jennifer), Jarrod, Erin, Alex, Lydia and Carson; four great-grandchildren, Tyler, Teddy, Leo and Lillian; a sister-in-law, Betty Kleinow; and brothers-in-law, Danny (Rita) Carrier, Steven (Donna) Simmons and Todd (Debra) Simmons.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Patricia; a son, Robert; and siblings, Pauline Westphal, Harriet Calkins, Geraldine Edwards, Henry Kleinow Jr. and Mary Nesvik.

Raymond LeRoy Kleinow was born April 14, 1930, in McGregor, Iowa. He was the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Henry) Kleinow. Ray graduated from McGregor High School in 1950. He played on the basketball team that qualified for state in 1948. After high school, Ray started working for the railroad. He then went to work for the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho, where he worked to control Blister Rust in the pine trees. He returned home after three months and was drafted. Ray served four years in the U.S.s Navy during the Korean War. He started working for Northwestern Bell in Marion, Iowa, following his return from military duty. Ray married Patricia Carrier on Aug. 4, 1956, in Guttenberg, Iowa. In 1959, the couple moved to Monticello, where Ray worked for Northwestern Bell until he retired in 1992. Pat preceded him in death on May 17, 1993. Ray married Ruth (Simmons) Koch on Nov. 22, 1997, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Monticello.

Ray was active in the Monticello community. He was a member of the United Church of Monticello, a volunteer firefighter for 20 years, operated the time clock at football and basketball game, and served on the Monticello City Council for six years. Ray helped start the girls softball Program in Monticello and later the Kleinow Field was built in his honor. Ray was a member of the Rotary and received the Paul Harris Fellowship award. Ray received the Friend of the Fair Award in 1993.

Ray was an avid Green Bay Packer and St. Louis Cardinal fan. Ray enjoyed time with Darell's coffee group, going to the casino and playing board games with his grandchildren. Ray will also be remembered for his fondness of dancing.

Visit www.goettschonline.com to share your thoughts, memories and condolences with Ray's family and sign the online guest book.