Cover photo for Clara Levy's Obituary
Clara Levy Profile Photo
1923 Clara 2016

Clara Levy

February 26, 1923 — January 24, 2016

Clara Eleanor Leinen Rognlien Levy, 92, of Fergus Falls, passed away peacefully with her family and Pastor Nate at her side on Sunday, January 24, 2016. She was the daughter of the late Theodore Leinen and Mathilda Gebhart Leinen of Campbell, Minnesota.

Clara was a graduate of Breckenridge High School and St. John's School of Nursing. She became an Army nurse and met and married James Rognlien of Towner, ND. On January 3, 1945, Clara and James were married in Breckenridge. As a young couple, Clara and "Jim", lived in several towns in North Dakota and Minnesota as they developed their careers as nurse and teacher. Jim was diagnosed with a life threatening illness and died in 1962. Clara moved to Breckenridge, MN with her three children, ages 5, 10 and 15, where she worked as a nurse at St. Francis Hospital.

In 1967, her move to Fargo, ND led to nursing positions at the Veterans' Administration Medical Center and St. Ansgar's Hospital. Clara loved her children and enjoyed every opportunity to make meals and create events to share with them. She retired from nursing in 1985 and on May 4, 1987, Clara married Edwin J. Levy, Jr.
At their retirement home on Blanche Lake their days were filled with golfing, fishing, card playing, dancing, finding collectibles to share and entertaining family and friends. They loved each other and their time together. In 1994, their life changed when "Eddie" developed a debilitating illness. She loved, supported and physically cared for him at their home on Blanche Lake until 1999. To be closer to family support and acute medical services, they moved to Moorhead. Their final move was to Fergus Falls in 2003, and Eddie passed at Fergus Falls Veteran's Home in 2006.
Clara enjoyed living in Fergus Falls, sharing her baking talents with the children of OLV, sewing, painting, crocheting, card playing and always having a humorous, witty and thought provoking idea to share with family and friends. Her wry humor extended to all those she met at Park Gardens and Woodland Lodge and she was loved by many. Her love lives on in our memories of her "spunk" and wisdom.

She is survived by a son, Michael (Dawn) Rognlien, of Fargo; and daughter Mary Rognlien (Michael) Loreno of Fergus Falls; stepson, Edward (Diane) Levy of White Earth; stepdaughter, Sandy Levy of White Earth; stepson, Mike (Denise) Levy of Waubun; and stepdaughter, Judy (Dan) Murray of Waubun; 22 grandchildren and step grandchildren; two nieces, Addie Nelson Backlund of Scarsdale, NY, and Suzanne Hutchins of San Marcos, CA; and lifelong friend Nancy S. Billings.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husbands, James and Edwin; eldest grandson, Sherman James Nelson; eldest daughter, Kathleen Rognlien Nelson; step grandson, Michael Levy; step granddaughter, Anna Levy; and two sisters, Frances Leinen Nelson and Marion Leinen Ricketts.

Visitation: 5 - 7 PM Thursday, at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls, and one hour prior to services at the church.

Mass of Christian Burial: 10:30 AM Friday, January 29, 2016, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Fergus Falls

Clergy: Father Alan Wielinski and Father Bill Gamber

Interment: St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Breckenridge

Arrangements by Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls.

Condolences: GlendeNilson.com








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