Clara Hein

Death Notice: Rock Rapids, IA Clara I. Hein, age 90 of Rock Rapids, IA, died Monday, January 17, 2011 at Lyon Manor Nursing and Rehab in Rock Rapids, IA. Funeral service will be 10:30 AM Friday, January 21, 2011 at Peace Lutheran Church in Rock Rapids, with Reverend Mark Hansen officiating. Burial will follow in the Hillside Cemetery in Lester, IA. Visitation will be Thursday, January 20th, from 2:00 - 8:00 PM with the family present from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids. Clara I (Grundmann) Hein was born on March 8, 1920, in a bob-sled along the banks of the James River, during a blizzard on the way to an aunts home in Spink County, South Dakota. She was the daughter of Rudolph and Elfreida (Carlson) Grundmann. She attended country school and helped her parents with the family farm in Spink County, SD until Clara married Lester Hein on September 20, 1939 in Pipestone, MN. Four children were born to this union. In 1954 they moved to Lester, IA. She was a member of Peace Lutheran Church of Rock Rapids for many years. In 1957 Clara began working at the community school, becoming one of the first female rural school bus drivers and also worked in the cafeteria, delivering hot lunches back and forth between Lester and Larchwood schools. In 1968 Clara began working at Otis Radio in Canton, SD. After the factory closed she began working at K-Products in Rock Rapids, IA, retiring in 1982. Claras retirement years were spent camping, fishing with her grandkids, reading, playing cards and cross word puzzles. She enjoyed many vacations with her kids and grandkids. In 2002 Clara moved into Premier Estates and later moved to Lyon Manor Nursing and Rehab in Rock Rapids, where she resided until her death, this past Monday. Clara is survived by three children, Robert (Karren) Hein of Beloit, WI, Judy (Ron) Kahl of Janesville, WI and Roxie (Jerry) Bauer of Owatonna, MN; son-in-law, Ted Hoogendoorn of Rock Rapids, IA; twelve grandchildren, Kim Mann, Kevin and Kellie Hein, Tim, Jeff, David and Chuck Hoogendoorn, Michelle and Greg Kahl, and Brian, Brad and Jason Bauer; twenty great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Juanita Grundmann of Spirit Lake, IA and Viola Puterbaugh of Cavour, SD; and brother-in-law, Raymond Hein of Palatine, TX; and many other extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Hein; her daughter, Connie Hoogendoorn; and three siblings, Mabel Costello, Helen Sorenson and Ralph Grundmann.