PATRICIA ANN KLEINE

1933-2023

Patricia Ann Ruhl, only child of Timothy and Ella (Blum) Ruhl, was born August 17, 1933, on her grandparents’ farm near Exeter, Nebraska. She grew up in the area, attending Exeter Public Schools and graduating from high school in 1951. She attended Doane College in Crete, Nebraska for two years to earn her teaching certificate, and later in life received her Bachelor of Education at Peru State College in Peru.

On June 8, 1954, Pat was united in marriage to Christian F. “Jim” Kleine at St. Stephens Catholic Church in Exeter. Their union was blessed with two children, Jim and Jennifer.

Pat spent the next 29 years teaching at various schools in Nebraska. She started her career in Exeter for 2 years, and then taught in Wilber (2 years), Auburn (2 years), Odell (1 year), and then back to Auburn for 22 years where she retired.

Pat was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Auburn and had attended St. Theresa’s in Lincoln while living there. She was a member of Phi Sigma Tau Sorority at Doane and joined Delta Kappa Gamma, a teaching honorary. Pat belonged to St. Joseph Tabernacle Society and taught CCD. She loved to read and cook and collected buttons as a hobby. Most of all, Pat loved spending time with her grandkids.

Jim passed away in April of 2014, and Pat lived for a while in their home in Auburn before moving to Lincoln to live with her daughter Jennifer. She then moved to an assisted living facility in Lexington, Nebraska near her son Jim.

Pat passed away Friday, January 6, 2023, at the age of 89 years at Lexington Regional Health Center in Lexington. Her parents and her husband Jim preceded her in death.

Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law Jim and Carole of Elwood; daughter and son-in-law Jennifer and Robert Perales of Lincoln; grandchildren Katie Kleine, Xavier, Mateo, and Gabriel Perales; other relatives and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial was held Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Auburn. Father Tim Danek and Father Justin Fulton were concelebrants, Barb Billesbach played accompaniment for congregational hymns. Honorary bearers were Cindy Cole, Patsy Bohling, Angie Bennett, Debi Crotty, Marilyn Gerdes, and Ginger Wintz. Burial followed in Holy Cross Cemetery at Auburn.

Services were entrusted to Hemmingsen Funeral Home of Auburn.