Marie Kliebenstein

Marie Rose Kliebenstein, 93, of Truman, died on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at Southwest Health Center, Platteville. A Time of Remembrance will be at 10:45 a.m. Monday, March 7, 2016 with Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Truman. Father John Bosco will officiate. Burial will be at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery. Friends may call from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at the Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, where a scripture wake service will be held at 2:45 p.m., friends may also call from 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Marie Rose Kliebenstein Memorial Fund. Online condolences can be made at www.melbyfh.com.

Marie was born on June 8, 1922 in Truman, WI, the daughter of Patrick and Elizabeth McDonald. She married Bernard Kliebenstein on April 25, 1944 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Truman, where she had been a parishioner since birth and remained as such until her death. She and Bernard farmed in the Truman area, and Marie lived on the same stretch of road all 93 years of her life. They were blessed with eight children.

Marie graduated from Belmont High School and then from Platteville State Teachers College in 1941. She was a letter winner for the Pioneer Women's basketball team. She taught eight grades in a one room rural school until she started raising her family. Some of her first students included her younger brothers and sister. Marie was a member of the Whirlybirds Homemakers Club for many years. She loved watching the birds and mowing the grass. You could still see her riding around on her lawn mower at the age of 90. She loved “visiting” in the neighborhood and keeping up with the news, both in Truman and around the globe. Her greatest joy in life was the farm, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and she cherished the time spent with them. She spend many, many hours sitting on bleachers watching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in nearly every sport imaginable, as well as, musicals, plays, and concerts. She will be dearly missed by all of them.

Surviving Marie are her eight children, Jean (Russ) Stuhr of Platteville; Jan (Gene) Weber of Platteville; Jim (Joyce) Kliebenstein of Ames, IA; Joe (Irma) Kliebenstein of Mazomanie, WI; Dick Kliebenstein of Madison; Mary McCabe of Reedsburg, WI; Tom Kliebenstein of Truman; and Bill (Cathy) Kliebenstein of Franklin, WI. She delighted in her 16 grandchildren, Deborah (Joe) Gustafson of Cuba City, WI; Jeff (Kelli) Stuhr of Madison; Brian (Andrea) Weber of Holmen, WI; Jamie (Amy) Weber of Champaign, IL; Scott (Tania) Weber of Bend, OR; Dan (Angela) Kliebenstein of Davis, CA; Shawn (Carrie) Kliebenstein of Minneapolis, MN; Heather (Neal) Johnson of Minneapolis; Alicia (Josh) Kopp of Prairie du Sac, WI; Becky (David) Cradler of Mount Horeb, WI; Sheryl Kliebenstein of Madison; Deanna (Adam) Gajewski of Mount Horeb; Joe (Michele) McCabe of Livingston, WI; Sarah (Nick) Casey of Reedsburg; Kirsten Kliebenstein and Trevor Kliebenstein, both of Franklin, WI. She is also survived by 23 great-grandchildren; who were a constant joy in her later years, three brothers Pat (Lorna Mae) McDonald; Ray (Camilla) McDonald, and Lawrence (Cathy) McDonald; two sisters, Judy Brynes and Teresa (George) Lehner; two brothers-in-law, Francis (Dorothy) and Delbert Kliebenstein. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, one brother, James McDonald, and two sisters, Katherine Quinn and Anna Donahoe. God be with you Marie, Mom, Grandma K, GGK. Your sense of humor and gentleness will warm our souls always.