Janice Klinker

Janice Dorothy Klinker was born to Raymond and Vlasta (Bielenberg) Jensen on July 3, 1938, in Schleswig, Iowa. She was baptized on September 4, 1938, at Frieden's Evangelical Church in Schleswig. As a young child, the family lived in Holstein and later moved to a farm near Ida Grove. Janice graduated from Ida Grove High School with the class of 1957. During school, Janice sang in the choir, was consistently on the honor roll and won many spelling bees. After high school, Janice worked in the Iowa Better Trucking Bureau for Harold Hughes, the eventual governor of Iowa, and Harold invited Janice to be his personal secretary at the Capitol.

During this time, Janice and her sister, Ardis enjoyed going to local dances and that's where she met the love of her life, Norman Klinker. Janice turned down the job offer with Harold Hughes and married Norman on April 12, 1959, at St. John Lutheran Church in Charter Oak. The couple was blessed with the birth of five children. They made their home on a farm near Charter Oak and she stayed busy as a homemaker. She was an amazing seamstress and thoroughly enjoyed it. She made several matching outfits for the family, a suit for Norman and dresses for the baby dolls. Janice was famous for her Special K bars. She was later employed by Sullivan Supply, sewing various items.

Janice was a member of St. John Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. She enjoyed monthly gatherings with the Chit Chat Club.

Norman passed away in 2016, and Janice moved to Reed Place after suffering a stroke in 2018. She later moved to Eventide Lutheran Home (now, Gracewell-Eventide) in Denison where she passed away on Friday, July 28, 2023, at the age of 85 years and 25 days.

Janice was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Norman Klinker; granddaughter, Melissa Juelfs; son-in-law, Mark Juelfs; brother, Melvin (Mary) Jensen; brothers-in-law: Mervin Weber, Merle Ernst, Ben Klinker Jr. and Alvern (Betty) Klinker; and sisters-in-law: Helen (Vernie) Schmidt and Elaine (Bud) Reitz. She is survived by four daughters: Laurie Thornley of Odebolt, Michelle (John) Bernholtz of Denison, Tammy Klinker of Charter Oak, and Angela (Karl) Albertsen of Manning; son, David (Jill) Klinker of Charter Oak; foster son, Dick (Verleen) Richardson of California;12 grandchildren: Michael, Courtney, Ryan (Kristina), Marcy (Justin), Tyler (Miranda), Kysa, Nathan, Emily, Adam, Ava, Liza, and Ben; 13 great-grandchildren: Eli, Gracyn, Walker, Lennyn, Christopher, Stella, Lauryn, Lainey, Londyn, Lexi, Emma, Mason and Maverick; sister, Ardis Weber of Battle Creek; and a sister-in-law, Lois Ernst of Denison.

Visitation with Family Greeting Friends will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, August 4, 2023 at St. John Lutheran Church in Charter Oak with a funeral service starting at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be held in the St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Charter Oak. Memorials may be directed to St. John Lutheran Church.

Her funeral service will be live streamed on St. John Lutheran Church, Charter Oak Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=st.%20john%20lutheran%20church%2C%20charter%20oak