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Dorothy Klosterbuer

Lead Summary

Dorothy Klosterbuer
Dorothy Gail Klosterbuer, 71, Luverne, died Monday, March 11, 2019, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.
No services are planned. Memorials are preferred to Luverne Special Olympics and the American Parkinson’s Association.
Dorothy Gail Schleiden was born on Oct. 10, 1947, to Charles and Alice (Hixenbaugh) Schleiden in Lynwood, California. She grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Maywood, California, graduating from Huntington High School.  She received her BA and MA degrees in political science from California State University in Los Angeles.  She completed requirements for a PhD in political science at the University of Illinois where she met her future husband, Jim Klosterbuer.  She attended the Paralegal Institute in Philadelphia to become a paralegal in 1975.
Dorothy married Jim Klosterbuer on July 31, 1975, at the State Line Presbyterian Church near Ellsworth. After their marriage, they moved to the Washington, D.C., area where Dorothy worked as a paralegal with the Steptoe and Johnson law firm. In 1979 Dorothy and Jim moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dorothy worked as a paralegal with Iowa Electric Light & Power Company. She attended the University of Iowa and earned her JD in 1982. She worked for a year as an attorney with the Internal Revenue Service in Kansas City. She next became a Johnson County, Iowa, Assistant Attorney. She finished her career working as a law clerk for the Iowa Sixth District county judges from 1989 until her retirement in 2005.
Their son, David, was born in December 1985. One of the favorite family activities was packing a picnic lunch and taking a hike. Saturday nights were always pizza and a movie.  Dorothy was an avid reader, especially mystery novels. She had a sharp wit and always had an appropriate comment on the current political situation.  She loved thoroughbred horse racing, especially the Triple Crown races.
Dorothy moved to skilled nursing care in August 2016. 
She is survived by her husband, Jim, and their son David of Luverne; her sister Anne Norman of Grand Junction, Colorado; her sisters-in-law Janice Schleiden of Yucaipa, California, Shirley Klosterbuer of Luverne, Mary Klosterbuer of Windom; and brother-in-law Don (Lona) Klosterbuer of Luverne; cousin Gaynell Lapinski of Ocalla, Florida;  and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Robert and Charles Schleiden, brother-in-law Harry Norman, and sister-in-law Marlene Schleiden.
Arrangements were provided by Dingmann Funeral Home of Luverne, www.dingmannandsons.com.
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