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Cleo Kjenslee

Lead Summary

Cleo B. Kjenslee, 100, Mankato, died on Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, at New Perspective Senior Living in Mankato.
A funeral service was Friday, Feb. 7, at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Mankato. Interment was at the Woodland Hills Memorial Park.
Cleo Kjenslee was born Nov. 5, 1919, to Oscar and Carrie (Lee) Kjenslee in Brookings, South Dakota. He graduated from Brookings High School. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force from February 1942 to May 1945. During his military service, T/Sgt. Cleo Kjenslee was stationed in England and completed 73 missions in a B-26 Marauder acting as the radioman-gunner. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross with 12 Oak Clusters.
Cleo married Ellen Oldre on June 30, 1950, in Kenneth. He was the owner of Kjenslee’s Upholstery in Luverne for over 50 years. He excelled in his trade, and many friends and family still have furniture reupholstered by him.
Cleo was active in his church and served for many years as a deacon at Bethany Lutheran Church in Luverne. He was a member of the Luverne VFW. 
In his free time, he enjoyed reading, bowling in his younger years, following the Minnesota Twins, and time spent with his cherished loved ones.
He is survived by daughters Carol (David) Hagen of Glenville, Connie (Joe) Meyer of Mankato and Cathy (Dean) Kluge of Mankato; son Ron (Chris) Scheetz of Portland, Oregon; 12 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; a sister, Marlys (Al) Bringelson of Los Angeles, California; and many other relatives and friends.  
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ellen, on Dec. 21, 2017; parents-in-law Gust and Henrietta Oldre, sister Virginia (Richard) Johnson, brother Lee (LaVonne) Kjenslee; brothers-in-law Norman (Ardis) Oldre and Vernon (Aagot) Oldre; and sister-in-law Ilene (Floyd) Jackson.
Arrangements were provided by Woodland Funeral Home, woodlandhillsh.com
 (0213 F)

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