Cleora Van Valkenburg

Life History for Cleora Van Valkenburg

Cleora Van Valkenburg, age 90 of Long Prairie entered the peace of Heaven on Tuesday evening, November 20, 2012 from the Knute Nelson Memorial Home in Alexandria, MN.
On March 3, 1922, Cleora was born to Fred and Elsie (Kowalke) Zabel in Leslie Township, Todd County, MN. She grew up on the farm and graduated from Osakis High School with the Class of 1941. She was married that same year on November 4, 1941 to Donald L. Van Valkenburg. They farmed in Leslie Township for many years. Cleora always raised a beautiful garden and spent many hours canning all of the produce each fall. She also liked to go to ceramics and make projects for her family and friends. Cleora decorated many beautiful birthday and wedding cakes, and loved to crochet, make quilts and do embroidery. Card parties with the neighbors and traveling with the Long Prairie High School marching band or taking various bus trips were other things she enjoyed. Cleora was a loving and doting grandma who did many hours of babysitting and laundry while helping and spending time with her grandchildren. Cleora was a long-time member of the Clotho Social Circle, the Leslie Ladies Aid and the Leslie Community Church.
Surviving are her children, Donald (Sandra) Van Valkenburg of Alexandria, Noel (Linda) Van Valkenburg of Long Prairie, Gerald (Julie) Van Valkenburg of Alexandria, Brenda (Russell) Carnes of Lakeville, MN; 7 grandchildren; 9 great, grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Donald on September 18, 1984; a great grandchild, Baby Gamradt; a sister, Helen Fearing and four brothers, Everett, Erven, Dewayne and Derald Zabel.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 26, 2012 at 11:00 am at the First Presbyterian Church in Osakis with Rev. Tim Sutton and Rev. James Brown officiating. Musicians are Ellen Bangtson, her granddaughter, Amy Dinkel-Van Valkenburg and also her great grandchildren. Interment is at the Gordon Pleasant Hill Cemetery in rural Osakis, MN with honorary bearers by her great grandchildren, Hagen, Ariana, Oren, Nora, Elyse, Lydia, Elliot, Sawyer and Sarah; Kenneth and Lee Simpson and Calcie Sundgaard. Active casketbearers are her grandchildren, Jeff, Ross and Lisa Van Valkenburg, Marty and Nick Carnes, Charlene Gamradt and Amy Dinkel-Van Valkenburg.
Arrangements are being handled by the Roy-Hetland Funeral Home in Osakis, MN.