Robert Klassen

Robert L. Klassen, Ventura, died Sunday, June 18, 2017, at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital, Britt, Iowa.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 15, 2017, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1001 9th Ave. S., Clear Lake, with the Rev. John Gossman officiating.  Inurnment will be at the Clear Lake Cemetery with military honors provided by the Clear Lake VFW Post 4868.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday, July 14, 2017, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, with a Knights of Columbus Rosary beginning at 5 p.m.

Memorials may be given to Hospice of North Iowa.

Robert was born Aug. 20, 1929, on the farm near Ionia, Iowa, the son of John P. and Violet (Nichols) Klassen.  He graduated from Rudd High School and proudly served his country in the U.S. Army.

He married Elizabeth “Betty” (Biwer) Klassen on May 1, 1954, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Elma, Iowa.  This union was blessed with three sons, Rick, Kirk, and Craig. They lived in Rudd, later Charles City, and Des Moines, where he became a master plumber and worked for the Clarke-Peterson Plumbing Company.   In 1968 they bought the Shady Beach Club, in Clear Lake, and operated it for four years.  They then moved to Sheldon, Iowa, where they bought and operated M & W Beer Distributing Co.  In the late 1970s they returned to the Clear Lake area, and Bob sold real estate.  He and Betty purchased and operated the Colony Inn Supper Club in Ventura, from 1983-1985.

His interests included his sons and their families, followed only by his passion for fresh-water fishing, both from his favorite spot, his home on Clear Lake, and taking many enjoyable fishing trips to northern Minnesota over the years.  He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Bob is survived by two sons, Richard (Rachelle) Klassen, Desert Hot Springs, Calif., and Kirk (Sharon) Klassen, Prentice, Wis.; six grandchildren, Rebecka (Matthew) Burrows, Jennifer (Aaron) Hockom, Jacob Klassen, Sean Klassen, Adam (Dorie) Klassen, and Davis Klassen; four great-grandchildren, Carter Klassen-Ford, Ruth Burrows, M. J. Burrows, and Max Hockom; brother, Jack (Greta) Klassen;  sisters-in-law, Violet Klassen, Geraldine Heying, Mary Sullivan, and Jackie Biwer; brothers in-law, Joe Glaser and Al (Donna) Biwer.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Betty (August 8, 2013); son, Craig (August 8, 2013); brother and sisters, Gerald  Klassen, Evelyn (Dale) Gabby, and Marilou (Lee) Friedrichs.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.