Valance Klusmann

Valance Val John Klusmann, 88, Bismarck, died March 2, 2010 at Medcenter One Mandan Living Center in Mandan. Funeral services will be held at 11am Saturday, March 6, 2010, at Bismarck United Church of Christ with Rev. Jim Moos officiating. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Bismarck. Visitation will be from 5:00pm to 8:00pm Friday, March 5, 2010, at Eastgate Funeral Service and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Val was born on September 11, 1921, at Youngtown, ND, the youngest son of Charles C. and Meta Schwarting Klusmann. He graduated from New Salem High School and attended Capitol Commercial College in Bismarck. As a young man, he entered the family business with his father and brothers, Klusmann Implement, a John Deere dealership in New Salem. Over the years his employment career included sales for Ward Motor Company and parts for Bismarck Implement. He retired from the gas department of MDU in Bismarck after 22 years of service. Val married Esther Christianson on September 11, 1943, in Glendive, MT. They made their home in New Salem and in 1957 moved the family to Bismarck. In 2009, Val entered the Medcenter One Mandan Living Center due to deteriorating health and resided there until the time of his death. Music had always been an important part of Val’s life, from playing saxophone in the high school band to singing with the Bismarck Elks Chorus; he was also a member of the Bismarck United Church of Christ’s choir until age 87. Fishing and gardening were some of his favorite hobbies. Val was a devoted family man and lovingly attended to his wife’s needs during her eight years in the nursing home, rarely missing a day of “wheelchair cruising”. Grateful for having shared his life are his sons and daughters-in-law, Kelly and Terry, Dickinson, Lon and Roberta, Dacula, GA, and Jeff and Elaine, Mesa, AZ; grandchildren, Kari Jamie Plowman, Evans, GA, Charles Allison Klusmann, Atlanta, GA, Nathan Klusmann, Dickinson, and Nicholas and Tara Klusmann, Mesa, AZ; two great granddaughters, Katie and Caroline Plowman; and one sister, Jeannette Flegel, Lander, WY. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, his parents; two brothers, Gordon Klusmann and Wilbur Klusmann, and one sister, Mildred Feil.

Valance Klusmann

September 11, 1921 - March 2, 2010