Susanna H. Kleinfelter

Sun Prairie/Deerfield-Susanna ""Susie"" H. Kaupanger KIinefelter passed away on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at the Sun Prairie Health Care Center at the age of 100.  She was born on November 28, 1907 in her family home in the town of Dunkirk near Stoughton, WI to Nels & Emma (Aas) Kaupanger.  Her childhood was spent on rural Stoughton farms tending sheep and cows and helping in the fields.  She attended Odland Grade School and Stoughton High School Class of 1925.  After attending one year of teacher's training, she taught one room country school at Odland and Emery schools for 5 years.  Susie married H. Gracley Klinefelter of Deerfield on June 30, 1934 at a small family ceremony at Christ Lutheran Church, Stoughton, where she also had been baptized and confirmed.  After honeymooning at the 1934 World's Fair in Chicago, they started farming the Klinefelter homestead farm on Liberty Prairie at Nora where they raised corn, tobacco, grains, livestock, and two daughters, Kathryn and Jane.  They farmed the 120 acres until Gracley's death at the age of 95 in 1996. The farm has been in the family since 1847 and is now owned and operated by her grandson, Kevin Shelley and his wife, Sandra Whitney.  Susie, besides being a constant farm helpmate and companion to Gracley, had been an active member of the Deerfield Lutheran Church including chairwoman of the Ladies Aid, Sunday School teacher, Naomi Circle member, member of the church council, and a 62 year member of the church choir.  She actively volunteered for 40 years from rolling World War II bandages for the Red Cross to sewing mittens for the RSVP.  She was also active in the Nora Grade School Mothers Club, an important organization during both her daughters' grade school years and a center for the family's social life for those years. Susie and Gracley enjoyed years of gardening, dancing, square dancing, and church activities.  She was well known for her cooking and her grandchildren especially remember her sweet corn and chocolate chip cookies.  After reluctantly leaving the farm at the age of 93, the last years of her life were spent at Harbor Suites Assisted Living in Cottage Grove and the Sun Prairie Health Care Center in Sun Prairie.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Gracley, her parents, and brothers, Olaf and Nelson.  She is survived by her daughters Kathryn (Patrick) Shelley, Sun Prairie and Jane (Michael) Cleary, Redding, CA;  grandchildren, Kevin (Sandra Whitney) Shelley, Deerfield, Lynn (William) Panton, San Diego, CA, Deanne (Steven) Rohde, Waunakee, Timothy (Valerie) Cleary, Boise, ID and Erin (Jeremy) Saunders,  Port St. Lucie, FL; great grandchildren Mara and Simon Shelley, Louis and Lydia Panton and Olivia and Sean Cleary; sisters, Edna Sand and Beatrice Bublitz both of Stoughton; nieces and nephews.  Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, August 31, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at Deerfield Lutheran Church, 206 Main St. with Reverend Larry Sexe officiating.  Burial will be held in Liberty Prairie Cemetery.  Family and friends are invited to call on Sunday at the church from 12:00 p.m. until the time of service.  The family wishes to thank the great staff at the Sun Prairie Health Care Center for the wonderful care and love they gave Nana. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Deerfield Community Center, Deerfield Lutheran Church or Sun Prairie Health Care Center.   We miss you Nana.   Cress Funeral & Cremation Service 1310 Emerald Terrace Sun Prairie, WI www.cressfuneralservice.com