Thief River Falls - Laverne Klenk, 66, died on Monday, December 29, 1997 at Northwest Medical Center in Thief River Falls.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 3, 1998 at 1 p.m. at the Green Funeral Home Chapel in Thief River Falls with Reverend Curtis Anderson officiating. Cathy Erickson will be the organist, and Coreen Erickson will be the soloist. Burial will be in the German Cemetery in Middle River.
Visitation will be held on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home and on Saturday for one hour prior to services.
Laverne Adolph Klenk was born on April 13, 1931 in Thief River Falls, the son of Adolph and Olga (Olson) Klenk. He attended Koepp Country School District 143 and graduated from Middle River High School. Laverne farmed and milked cows in Cedar township of Marshall County.
On July 29, 1977 he was united in marriage to Bernice (Sorenson) Johnson at Clearwater Lutheran Church at Oklee. Laverne worked as a bartender at the Thief River Falls City Liquor Store and later at the Eagles, retiring in 1996. He continued to live on the family farm until the time of his death.
He was a member of the Thief River Falls Eagles Club and enjoyed auction sales and being at home on the farm.
Laverne is survived by his wife Bernice of Middle River; four stepdaughters, Cynthia (Dale) Bjerklie of Trail, Susan (Larry) Torkelson of Plummer, Colleen Kerssen of Orlando, FL and Melissa (Shawn) Chinn of Sisseton, SD; eight grandchildren; one brother Lambert (Nancy) Klenk of Annandale; and three nieces; one nephew; and several cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, in infancy.