Alfred Francis Klaassen

 Little Rock, IA             Alfred Klaassen age 87 of Ellsworth, MN died, Thursday, December 10, 2015 at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne, MN.             Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday December 14, 2015 at Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock, IA with Pastor Dustin Sperlich and George Bonnema officiating. Burial will follow the service at Pleasant View Cemetery in Little Rock.             Visitation will be Sunday, December 13th with family present from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock.             Alfred Francis Klaassen was born on a farm east of George, IA on July 23, 1928. He was the son of John H. and Edith (Klaassen) Klaassen. He attended school in Lyon County graduating from the 8th grade. On December 28, 1951, he was united in marriage to LaVonne Siebrands at the Hope Reformed Parsonage of rural George, IA. They were blessed with three children, Aldon, Sherrilyn, and Jody.                Alfred served in the United States Army during the Korean War from 1952-1954. He was stationed at Ft. Sill, OK; Ft Richardson, AK; and Ft Niagara Youngstown, NY. After his Honorable Discharge from the Army in 1954, he and his wife farmed 5 years south of Little Rock, IA; 2 years NW of Luverne, MN; and 11 years north of Little Rock, IA. He also drove school bus for the Little Rock Community School. In 1972, he and his family moved to Ellsworth, MN where Alfred was a custodian and bus driver for the Ellsworth Public School. He worked at Sudenga Industries from 1972-1988 when he became disabled because of Lyme’s Disease. He had several heart attacks, but always kept busy with gardening, landscaping, woodworking, and helping area farmers.                He lived in Ellsworth, MN for 39 years until he became a resident of the Minnesota Veterans Home. He was a member of Hope Reformed Church of George, IA. Later he transferred his membership to Salem Reformed Church of Little Rock, IA where he served as Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer of the Sunday school. He also served as a Deacon. Alfred was a Life Long member of the American Legion.                Alfred passed away on December 10, 2015 attaining the age of 87 years and 4 months.             Surviving are his wife, LaVonne, of 63 years of marriage, two sons, Aldon and his wife Della (Van Dam) Klaassen of Sioux Falls, SD; Jody Klaassen and his wife Heather VanderLey of Minneapolis, MN; one daughter Sherrilyn Klaassen of Adrian, MN. Also three grandchildren: Adam and Stephanie (Thorne) Klaassen of Cedar Rapids, IA; Katie Klaassen and Jordan Semmler of Sioux Falls, SD; and Benjamin VanderLey Klaassen at home with his parents Jody and Heather; two sisters, Helena Sprock of Rock Rapids, IA and Ruth (Albertus) Van Westen of Luverne, MN; and brother-in-law, Ubbe Wagenaar.                  Preceding Alfred in death were his parents John and Edith; 5 brothers – Paul, Raymond, Ronald, Harmon, and John; 4 sisters – Esther Klinkenborg, Erma Wagenaar, Alma DeBuhr, and Lois Snitselaar; and sisters-in-law Ellen Klaassen, Elloise Klaassen, Dolores Klaassen, and Carolyn Klaassen; and brothers-in-law Elmer (Pete) DeBuhr, Richard Sprock, Everon Klinkenborg, and George Snitselaar.