1930
Cleo
2012
Cleo Kohn
October 9, 1930 — December 7, 2012
Cleo Joyce Kohn, age 82, formerly of Barrett and Fergus Falls, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 7 at Southview Acres Health Center in St. Paul.
Cleo was born on October 9, 1930 in Lien Township, Grant County, the youngest child of Wilhelmina and Andrew Kohn. Her parents both died when she was a young child so was raised by her aunt and uncle, Peter and Catharine Kohn of Barrett, MN.
Cleo graduated from Elbow Lake High School with the Class of 1948 and continued with her education to receive a Teacher's Certificate from Moorhead State Teachers College in 1950. She began her teaching career in Brooten, MN where she taught the fourth grade and also was the Elementary Principal. Over the next years she held teaching positions in Litchfield, Appleton and Breckenridge. She returned to studies in 1964-5 to receive her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota, Morris. She received a Masters Degree in Library Sciences from Moorhead State University. She was very proud of her move from classroom teacher to the Fergus Falls ISD544 Elementary Librarian.
From 1968 until her retirement in1993 she had the opportunity to touch the lives of every elementary student in Fergus Falls through the library.
Cleo was an active member of First Lutheran church of Fergus Falls and carried her love of God beyond the church doors. She was a dedicated care-giver to her aging aunt and uncle and never missed a night of reading the Bible. She loved collecting stories and quips on topics of faith and trust. She compiled a booklet titled "A Decade of Sermon Notes" in 1991 that is a delight to read.
Much of Cleo's free time was spent cheering for the Minnesota Twins, lunching with friends and knitting. Nearly everyone she knew received a beautiful hand-knit afghan – she kept track of each one and they numbered over 70. She had an uncanny ability to spot four-leaf clovers and shared the luck with others. She was a scrabble pro and was always ready for a game. As the anguish of Alzheimer's Disease overtook Cleo, her ability to knit and watch TV diminished, leaving her to delight in a game of balloon toss or in the joy of a good bowl of ice cream. Throughout her long struggle with the disease she remained cooperative and would light up at the fun teasing of her caregivers.
Cleo was preceded in death by her parents, special aunts and uncles, 3 brothers and 1 sister. She will be greatly missed by her nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and her wonderful extended family at Southview Acres.
Funeral Services: 12:30 PM, Sunday, December 16, Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Visitation: two hours prior to the service at the funeral home
Clergy: Rev Saul Stensvaag
Cemetery: Peace Lutheran Cemetery, Barrett, MN
Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Condolences: www.GlendeNilson.com
Cleo was born on October 9, 1930 in Lien Township, Grant County, the youngest child of Wilhelmina and Andrew Kohn. Her parents both died when she was a young child so was raised by her aunt and uncle, Peter and Catharine Kohn of Barrett, MN.
Cleo graduated from Elbow Lake High School with the Class of 1948 and continued with her education to receive a Teacher's Certificate from Moorhead State Teachers College in 1950. She began her teaching career in Brooten, MN where she taught the fourth grade and also was the Elementary Principal. Over the next years she held teaching positions in Litchfield, Appleton and Breckenridge. She returned to studies in 1964-5 to receive her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota, Morris. She received a Masters Degree in Library Sciences from Moorhead State University. She was very proud of her move from classroom teacher to the Fergus Falls ISD544 Elementary Librarian.
From 1968 until her retirement in1993 she had the opportunity to touch the lives of every elementary student in Fergus Falls through the library.
Cleo was an active member of First Lutheran church of Fergus Falls and carried her love of God beyond the church doors. She was a dedicated care-giver to her aging aunt and uncle and never missed a night of reading the Bible. She loved collecting stories and quips on topics of faith and trust. She compiled a booklet titled "A Decade of Sermon Notes" in 1991 that is a delight to read.
Much of Cleo's free time was spent cheering for the Minnesota Twins, lunching with friends and knitting. Nearly everyone she knew received a beautiful hand-knit afghan – she kept track of each one and they numbered over 70. She had an uncanny ability to spot four-leaf clovers and shared the luck with others. She was a scrabble pro and was always ready for a game. As the anguish of Alzheimer's Disease overtook Cleo, her ability to knit and watch TV diminished, leaving her to delight in a game of balloon toss or in the joy of a good bowl of ice cream. Throughout her long struggle with the disease she remained cooperative and would light up at the fun teasing of her caregivers.
Cleo was preceded in death by her parents, special aunts and uncles, 3 brothers and 1 sister. She will be greatly missed by her nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and her wonderful extended family at Southview Acres.
Funeral Services: 12:30 PM, Sunday, December 16, Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Visitation: two hours prior to the service at the funeral home
Clergy: Rev Saul Stensvaag
Cemetery: Peace Lutheran Cemetery, Barrett, MN
Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Condolences: www.GlendeNilson.com
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