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Kleiss, Stanley W.

Stanley W. Kleiss passed away on April 19 in Miami, Florida, while seeking cancer treatment, in the company of his wife and children. His strong Christian faith and close relationships sustained him.

Stan was born in Chickasaw County, Iowa, on January 13, 1941, to Leonard and Viola (Kirchmann) Kleiss. He grew up on family farms in Iowa, attended a one-room schoolhouse, and graduated from Fredericksburg Community High School. He graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Agricultural Science in 1963, married Janet Buenzow, and began working for John Deere. He excelled in sales and marketing management for 37 years, ending his career managing all North American government sales. The family moved frequently for the company. Their main residences were the Quad Cities; Horicon, Wisconsin; and Raleigh, North Carolina. Stan and Jan retired to the Cloverleaf Lakes near Clintonville, Wisconsin and recently spent winters in Cape Coral, Florida, enjoying the warmth and time with friends. Stan loved to be outside, fishing, hunting, boating, and gardening. He also jogged, golfed, and bicycled. He volunteered for the Gibson Island Conservation project, and with Jan, managed the Iowa family farm. He worked in his shop restoring and reusing old materials. He will be remembered for his warm hospitality and friendliness that drew so many to him.

Stan is survived by his wife, Janet (Buenzow) Kleiss; his children: Pamela Kleiss (Salud Garcia) in Madison; Steven Kleiss (Munira) in Madison; and Jennifer Dunn (Cameron) in Castle Pines, Colorado; his granddaughters: Audrey Kleiss-Garcia, Iris Dunn, Ava Dunn, and Nylah Kleiss. Survivors also include his sisters: Bonnie Erickson (Alan) in Readlyn, Iowa; Diane Kleiss in Silver City, New Mexico; and Becky Banks (Terry) in Pella, Iowa. Also included are his Rotary exchange daughter Yasuyo Ebihara Okada of Tokyo, Japan, and her three daughters: Satomi Okada, Masami Okada, and Mayumi Okada. Stan was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Viola Kleiss, his brother William Kleiss, and his nephew Chad Erickson.

Memorial donations may be made in Stan’s name to WASA (Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association) at https://www.wasa.org/donate or GSI (GIST Support International) at http://www.gistsupport.org/about-gist-support-international/donate/donate-online/ .

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2018, at Zion Lutheran Church, 1254 S. Union Street, Shawano, Wisconsin. Visitation will immediately precede the memorial service from 9:30-11:00 a.m., and lunch will be served following, also at the church.

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