Margret K. Klessig

Margret K. Klessig, age 97, of Cleveland, WI, passed away on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, surrounded by loved ones who adored her.Margret was born in Vienna, Austria, on June 7, 1920. She was the daughter of Dr. Siegfried and Paula Eyb Kraft, who emigrated to Sheboygan, WI, in 1923.She grew up in Sheboygan, the middle of two sisters, and graduated from Central High School, then attended Lakeland College (Mission House at that time) in the fall of 1938. She spent only one year at the school, but that was just long enough to have been selected as the first May Queen and to have made numerous friends and bonds with her professors.She left Sheboygan to attend the UW-Madison School of Nursing, and two years later she fell in love with her future husband, Edward Klessig, and announced her intention to be married upon completion of her third year. The director of the School of Nursing told her that if she was going to marry, she had to resign from school. She was stunned by this! She abandoned her formal schooling, married, and started a new life as the wife of a dairy farmer in Cleveland, WI. Margret married Edward on August 23, 1941, under the historic black walnut tree on their beloved Saxon Homestead Farm.Margret was a devoted mother, taking care of her large family of eight children. She always said the best years of her life were the years she spent raising her children. Her third child had Down syndrome, and Margret wanted to find a way to support him educationally. She wrote letters to local newspapers in search of families in a similar situation. Through this effort, she met other mothers and formed a group that began to advocate for children with special needs, ensuring proper schooling and care for them through the school district.Margret returned to college in her early 40's, and after earning her master's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she fulfilled her dream by embarking on a 19-year teaching career, 15 of those at Pigeon River Elementary School in Sheboygan working with fifth and sixth graders."Every child has something to share, something to offer. This is what I so loved about teaching, being able to ignite the spark that is present in every child."It was the belief she had in every child that made Margret a transformational educator who reached every pupil in her classroom. Over the years, former students would reach out to Margret to remind her of the profound impact she had on their lives.Margret was an avid reader and gardener and always took time to appreciate the beauty and magic of Mother Nature. She loved to cook and listen to classical music. Her bookshelves overflowed with a diverse collection of works, with Tolstoy and Chekhov being among some of her favorite writers. Near the front door of her farmhouse, she had a small sign that read, "Dissent Protects Democracy." She kept herself politically informed and engaged and believed change came from the ground up, not the top down. She especially enjoyed hearing from her grandchildren, whom she loved dearly and to whom she serves as an endless source of inspiration.Margret was able to live in her own home and pass away peacefully there. She had a team of loving, compassionate, dedicated caregivers who helped care for her for 3.5 years. Special thanks to Jennifer, Starr, Julie, Sandra and Diane, who lovingly called themselves "Team Margret". These women are outstanding!Mounds of gratitude goes to Dr. Michael Johnson and his staff for their genuine affection for Margret, and for treating her with kindness, courtesy, and respect. Great appreciation goes to the incredible hospice nursing team of St. Nicholas Hospice, who provided unconditional, professional end of life care.The family would also like to thank family friend Lisa Vihos, who wrote a beautiful article chronicling Margret's life and accomplishments that aided the family in writing an obituary that would wholly illustrate Margret's incredible life story.Margret is survived by her children: Erik (Phyllis) Klessig, Pauline (Aref) Senno, Elise (Gerald) Heimerl, Frederick (Young) Klessig, Karl (Liz) Klessig, and Robert (Kathleen) Klessig. She is also survived by her son-in-law, Franz Grebacher of Austria, 21 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, and numerous friends and relatives, both here and abroad.Margret was preceded in death by her husband, Edward, her son, Conrad, her daughter, Heidi Grebacher, and her sisters, Waltraut Kraft, and Brigitte Johnson.The family plans to have a celebration of Margret's life later this year. The Jens Family Funeral Home & Crematory is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.jensreinboldandpfeffer.com

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