Paul Kleffner passed to his eternal reward 5/22/2012.
Paul was granted 95 adventurous years on this earth. He was a businessman, an adventurer an active community member and a devout catholic, but most of all Paul was a family man. He never met someone he didn’t like and always found a way to have fun. His eyes twinkled with youthful enthusiasm right up until the end. Paul was born July 27th 1916, in Great Falls, MT, the fifth of nine children. Paul grew up farming and graduated from Belt High School in 1935 at the height of the Great Depression.
As a young man he traveled the country and spent a year building the Grand Cooley Dam. Eventually he found his way to Chillicothe Business College, in Missouri, where he met Thelma Putnam, “the prettiest girl on campus”. Paul &Thelma were married Dec. 12th 1940. Early in their marriage they purchased a run down ranch property south of East Helena & set about to make it a warm & loving home. Paul & Thelma raised their family of seven children on the ranch, which became a magnet for their children’s friends. Later on grandchildren would be drawn to the ranch where they fed glass to an imaginary troll named Growler, played in Prickly Pear Creek and learned to drive in Grandpa’s old truck.
Paul always found time to share and to be involved in his community. He served as a 4-H leader for twenty years, spent fifty years as an active Kiwanian, was an active member of St Cyril’s & Methodius parish, and was honored with the Monsignor Mavsar Award. Paul was also a long time member of the Early Morning Businessmen’s Bible Study and the Farm Bureau.
Paul particularly loved history and world geography. He wallpapered his office with the maps he loved to study and collect. Paul & Thelma’s travels took them around the world. At age 80, Paul traveled to the Holy Land, where he followed the Footsteps of St. Paul and swam in the Dead Sea wearing only his boxer shorts. His last great adventure was a cruise on the Amazon River with the late Clark Pyfer, his lifelong friend and business partner.
Restoring the buildings on the century old ranch was a life long labor of love for Paul. Paul filled his retirement years by sharing his unique historical ranch home and barn with guided tours. Over the years he entertained tourists from all over the globe with his humorous stories, some of them true. In 2005 Paul moved into the Waterford and the Ranch was sold to Dennis & Stacy Young.
Paul’s devoted wife predeceased him in February 2000. He was also preceded in death by infant daughter Ruth Ellen in 1944. Paul was the last surviving member of his family. He was preceded by his Parents John and Clara (Bogner) Kleffner, brothers; Joseph, Albert, Leo, Frank, & Philip; also sisters Marie Goo, Mildred Kleffner, Laura Higby Yeater, and Christine Armstrong.
Patriarch of a large family, Paul’s greatest pride was his family. He is survived by his seven children; Alice (Bill) Dove of Montana City; Janet Waldron of Helena; Charles (Lynne) of Big Fork; Colleen (Mike) Schulte of Butte; Dorothy Kleffner of San Raphael CA; Irene (Randy) Ewing; of Spokane; and Linda (Bruce)Tutvedt of Kalispell.
He is also survived by eighteen grandchildren; Bill Dove (Jennie)of Bozeman; Jim Dove (Natalia) of Columbia, MO.; Karen (Allen) Heisler of Great Falls; Mike (Jeannette) Waldron of Livingston; Steve (Kristi) Waldron of Fargo; Daniel (Crystal) Waldron of Havre; Cherry (Clint) Grey of Naples ID; Amy (Shawn) Stewart of Rock Hill S.C., Josh Kleffner of Big Fork; Brenda (Hans) Landwehr of Edmond OK; Megan Schulte of Butte, MT; Adam Schulte of Missoula, MT; Angie (Josh) Neumiller of Spokane WA; Daniel (Becki) Holmes of Seattle WA; Tim Hammond of Spokane WA; Valarie (Dugan) Gravage of Bozeman, MT; Emily Tutvedt of Kalispell, MT ; Andora Tutvedt of Kalispell, MT; and many great grandchildren. Paul is also survived by many devoted nieces and nephews.
Visitation will begin at noon with a Vigil service to be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 25th at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. Mass of Christian Burial will be Noon Saturday, May 26th at SS. Cyril & Methodius Church in East Helena with a reception to follow at the church. Burial will be at St. Ann’s Cemetery immediately following the reception. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish, 120 W. Riggs, East Helena, MT 59635; Hospice of St. Peters c/o St. Peter’s Hospital, 2475 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601; or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family condolences.
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A Friend says
Mr. Kleffner was a lovely human being. I thank God that I was able to meet him and hear his stories.
Deepest sympathies to you all. May God Bless you.
A Friend says
What a kind gentle man – always with a welcoming smile when I met him. He always asked about my son who worked for him summers a number of years age. An honor to have known him
Ali (Nistler) Poelman says
Thinking and praying for you all. God bless you.
Becky Buckmaster says
I so loved your father and had such great fun with him in the EH Improvement Assoc. I’ve known many of your family over the years and wish you all the best.
East Helena has lost another one of it’s great characters
Becky (Mason) Buckmaster
Bev Hill says
So sorry to hear of your lose. Paul was a wonderful guy and shared his love for his place and family with many, our family and friends included. I know he will be greatly missed.
Carolyn K. Pelletier says
Irene and Family, I was very sorry to read of the passing of your dad. I know that you have many, many wonderful memories to help you through this difficult time. Please know that others are thinking of your family. My very deepest sympathy.
Debbie Hrella DeMers & Tim DeMers says
I have so many great memories of overnight stays at the ranch. Your Dad always came upstairs at your Mom’s request to quiet us down in the late night hours. He used humor even then to accomplish her request. We all loved your Dad.
Your Dad gave Tim a job driving truck for harvest when the smelter was on strike. That was a Godsend for us.
Our thoughts are with you all during this special time.
Dixie (Smith) Cegelnik says
From the time I was
Dixie (Smith) Cegelnik says
I remember Paul from a very early age, he was a friend of my dad (Dutch). 4-H meetings and get togethers were always great memories. My brother (Bill) worked for Paul and later on in 1961-62 myformerhusband (Hank Warner) worked for Paul. Our first child was born in the long house by the barn. Paul was a warm, giving and happy person. I send my .to you, his family. We all have been blessed knowing Paul
From Sereta & Gladys Krebs Gerhart says
Kleffner family: Gladys was a BVHS high school classmate of Paul’s. We also visited him in when he still lived on the ranch. I, Sereta, was in BVHS with Ora, Carol, and knew John and Bernice, Joe and Clara, too. Gladys was also friends with Phil, and others in the family. Phil built their ranch home. She remembers him as a fun person and really likeable. They hugged one another and really enjoyed the time we all spent together. He was a truly great man — with a great legacy — including his faith in God/Jesus. We pray that the God of All Comfort will comfort each of you in the loss of a dear father and grandfather (or uncle). He filled an important roll in history and the community. “Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted,Jesus said, in Matt. 5:4. In Isaiah 61:1 to 3 there are also words Jesus spoke while he was on earth — and some he didn’t read that day in the Synagogue: that he would comfort all who mourn, that he would exchange beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning and praise for the spirit of heaviness.” You may want to read the whole passage for yourselves, it ends with they will be called trees of righteousness — the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” Each of YOU can be that “planting” in God’s kindgom. Amen. Our Sincerely Sympathy from Gladys Krebs Gerhart (a former neighbor west of Belt and later ranch east of Belt as well as a classmate. Gladys is 96….with good memory and love to share. She lives with Sereta in GTF.)
G.Ford says
I am so sorry for your loss. May “the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3,4) comfort and soothe your heart. His promises, found in the Holy Scriptures, can offer much hope. It assures us at John 5:28,29 that our loved ones will be remembered and brought back to life in the resurrection. Please allow God’s Word to strengthen you and help you to endure this most difficult time.
Glen Cuchine says
Many happy memories of Mr. Kleffner and his wonderful family. I always enjoyed his rushing in to visit with my boss Charles Willis often regarding some ‘project’ of community benefit. A super man and citizen. God Bless.
Heidi O'Brien says
I am very honored to have known your father. I interviewed him when I worked on Downtown Helena’s 145th Anniversary of Helena Celebration and he truly inspired me.
Judy and Leonard Ober says
Alice and Bill
We are so sorry to hear about your loss of Paul. We were out of town so didn’t see the paper until today (Sunday). Our thoughts and prayers are with you
Judy and Leonard
Karen Rowan says
I am thankful that I had the opportunity to meet Paul. He always had something kind to say to me and my family. I enjoyed cooking a few dinners with him and those occasions when several of us would go out for dinner. His stories were priceless as was the love for his family. My dear friend, you will be missed.
Linda Sandman says
So glad I was able to meet Paul at the Waterford. He was so kind to my parents. It was a delight to meet that Paul knew my Grandparents and my father as a young- I always looked forwrd to his stories. I also admit that he got the best of me- telling me that the old car in the barn was Bonnie and Clyde’s car- and I bought it hook line and sinker. He was the master of story telling. Glad I got to be acquainted with him. My mother, Juanita Sandman also sends her condolenses. Linda Sandman
Margaret Kleffner Nydell says
To all seven of you,
This is a real milestone for our family, with Uncle Paul being the last of his generation to leave us. I am glad we had him for so long. I remember his 90th birthday celebration, and of course the many, many family reunions at your place. I hold your family very dear in my memories, especially our childhood antics — remember riding tricycles round and round the ballroom? Uncle Paul was my godfather and I never forgot that; it made him even more special.
Wishing all of you comfort and sending love,
Margaret
Mary says
To the “Beautiful” Children of Paul… I was deeply saddened to read of your father’s passing! I lived on the rance and played with some of you when I was younger. Colleen & Dorothy mostly. Charles was a tease. My step-dad worked on the ranch & we lived in the little house next to the barn. We spent a lot of time in that old barn swinging on the rope on 3rd floo, swimming in the pond, riding biks. I have a lot of memories of all of you. Went to visit your dad a few years ago and he remembered me. He was a “Wonderful” Man! God Bless all of you!
Mary (Parrish) Littlefield… my step-day was named Florn Elshaug who was with your dad when they went off that bridge during a cold day one winter.
Max and Jennie Van Voast says
Dear Alice, So sorry to see this in the paper. What a guy he was and how lucky you were able to enjoy him and he you for so long. Our best to you and yours.
Val and Bob Raisch, Ocala, FL. says
Judy and John,
Annette and Kevin and families~
We were sorry to read that your dear Uncle Paul has passed on. What a bunch of beautiful memories you must have.
With friendship, love and condolences.
Val and Bob Raisch