Elsie Klaas

Elsie Klaas, 96, of Marshalltown, formerly of Melbourne, died Friday evening, July 18th, at the Grandview Heights where she has resided since April of 2005. She passed from this life with her family at her side and under the loving care of Grandview Heights and Iowa River Hospice. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery at Haverhill. Friends may call at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home from 5-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Memorials may be directed to the Grandview Heights Resident Activities Fund or the Iowa River Hospice. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Elsie and her family. Ph 641-844-1234. Born Elsie Depping on January 26th, 1912, at Baxter, Iowa, she was the daughter of Ernest and Bertha (Dee) Depping. She received her education in the rural Baxter country schools and moved to a farm in southern Marshall County in the spring of 1921 to continue here education in that area. On March 5th, 1935, she was united in marriage to George Klaas. They bought their farm in August of 1938 and moved there the next year, making it their home until retiring to Melbourne in February of 1969. Elsie enjoyed gardening, raising chickens, and her family and was fondly remembered as a great cook of cookies, fudge and black raspberry pie. Mrs. Klaas was a former member of St. Josephs parish in State Center. Left to cherish her memory are her son, Arnold (Mina) Klaas of State Center, daughter Marie Klaas of the Grandview Heights, four grandchildren: Linda (Thom) Burke and their children Amber and Amy Smith who reside at W. 2815 County Road JJ, Kaukauna, WI, 54130: Barbara (Richard) Willoughby and their children Ricky and Brittany all of 1016 Timberlane, Jacksonville, FL, 32211; Rita Klaas and her children Lora, Robert and Lindsay Laverty all of 1318 Harding Avenue, Ames, Iowa, 50010; and Capt. Ronald (Brandi) Klaas of 500 Gills Creek Parkway #1413, Columbia, SC, 29209. In death she has rejoined her parents, beloved husband George who died August 24, 1978, two sisters in infancy, sisters Dora in 1978 and Beatrice in 1995, brother Oscar in 1979, August in 1999, and John in 2002.