ELLINWOOD — Norman John Klepper, 95, died March 11,  2015, at Ellinwood District Hospital. He was born at his home in rural Ellinwood on June 23, 1919, to John and Mae (Arnsdorf) Klepper. Norman was a lifetime resident of Ellinwood, also living in Garfield for eight years. He attended Sts. Peter & Paul Grade School and was an Ellinwood High School graduate. He married Anna Musenberg on Nov. 6, 1946, at Sts. Peter & Paul Church. She died on July 4, 1972. He later married June Hammer on Nov. 27, 1981, at St. Joseph’s Church. She died May 6, 2011. Norman was a longtime farmer and rancher, always making sure that the family farm would continue on for another generation.
He was a member of the St. Joseph’s Church and the Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include two sons, Larry (Jean) Klepper, Ellinwood, and Richard (Connie) Klepper, LaVeta, Colo.; three daughters, Joyce (Jerry) Ware, Wichita, Marlene (David) Panning, Great Bend, and Diane (Ed) Nemnich, Ellinwood; a sister, Betty Mae (Lloyd) Schmidt, McPherson; nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Ronald, Frank, Maurice and LeRoy Klepper; and sisters, Katherine Heagler, Inez Malone, Elvera Martin and Mary Ann Kowalsky.
Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at St. Joseph’s Church in Ellinwood with Father Terry Klein presiding. Burial will follow at Lakin-Comanche District Cemetery in Ellinwood. There will be a visitation from 1-7 p.m. Friday at Minnis Chapel in Ellinwood with family receiving friends from 6-7 p.m. There will be a rosary and vigil service starting at 7 p.m., also Friday at Minnis Chapel. Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph’s School Endowment Fund, St. Joseph’s School Living Legacy Fund, or Ellinwood EMS in care of the funeral home.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Minnis Chapel*
P.O. Box 246
Ellinwood, KS 67526
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 13, 2015