Ellen R. Klaschen

Ellen Rae Klaschen (Powell) passed away on Nov 28th, 2022, at Unity Point Health Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Services will be held at Rohde Funeral Home in Kingsley, IA on Friday, Dec. 2^nd at 10:30 AM with visitation Thursday, Dec. 1 from 5 – 7 pm and prayer service at 7pm. Pastor Ken Kraft will be officiating. 

Ellen was born January 8, 1931, on a farm east of Pierson, Iowa to Dale and Marjorie (Preston) Powell. She graduated from Grand Meadow High School (1949) before attending Buena Vista in Storm Lake, IA. Ellen and Donald Klaschen were united in marriage at the Remsen Lutheran Church on July 23, 1952. The couple lived in San Diego, CA from 1952 to 1956 while Don served in the U.S. Navy. They eventually moved back to Kingsley to work on a farm with Dale Powell, later farming with Arnold Berglund, Ford Ralston and Doc Woodbridge.           

She was a champion of her community and could often be found working the United Methodist Church election dinner, making peanut brittle, lending a helping hand to neighbors, volunteering at the Woodbury County Fair, driving tractors, or cooking for the crew.  She cherished time spent with the family raising and showing Charolais cattle. She and Don owned and operated Klaschen’s Kountry Kitchen Café in Pierson. Ellen also worked in the Kingsley-Pierson Community School helping in the kitchen, serving as janitor with her husband, and even driving school bus. She was especially proud of a gift received that was called “Ellen’s Enforcer”. She was always willing to do anything to help anyone. Despite her many accomplishments, though, Ellen was perhaps most proud of raising her eight children.      

Following retirement, she continued to share her sharp kitchen skills at the Pierson Mini Mart, Kingsley Food & Spirits, K Café, and Kingsley Golf Course.  All of her hard work shined through at every family event, and no one ever left hungry. Ellen loved camping in Storm Lake and family time fishing, sitting by the lake and campfire. She loved watching all sports on TV and attending her many children and grandchildren sporting and music events. Ellen had an amazing ability to convince anyone to drive through the Dairy Queen for a chocolate cone. At home, she enjoyed being outside gardening and filling feeders with a special love for cardinals and squirrels.      

Ellen’s life was one of rewarding work, relentless dedication, and immeasurable devotion and love to her family and friends. She was extraordinary in most every way—and will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her sons John (Paula Hentges) of Spirit Lake, Calvin (Dawn) of Pierson, Scott (Becky) of Anthon, Todd “T.J.” (Stephanie) of Anthon; three daughters, Debra (Gary Jepson) of Alvarado, TX, Sharon (Cash Howe) of Kingsley, Patty (Bob McClintock) of Sioux City, daughter in-law, Sheila Klaschen of Pierson; brother, Robert Powell (Joan) of LeMars, IA; and sisters-in-law Dorothy Powell of Pierson, Ruth Powell of Albany, OR and Ellen Klaschen of Cherokee, IA;14 grandchildren, Bill, Bobby, Jeni, Sara, Kelly, Becky, Mike, Kati, Erin, Cody, Mikayla, Shelby, Hailey, and Tyler and 21 Great Grandchildren, Brooke, Matthew, Andrew, Anna, Aiden, Aubrey, Finley, Kennedy, Wyatt, Kinley, Charley, Randi, Jaxson, Lilly, Paxton, Hayden, Alison, Lindsay, Cooper, Mason and Carter.  Upcoming this year are 3 more great grandchildren and her first great-great grandchild. 

Preceding Ellen in death are her husband Donald, parents Dale and Marjorie Powell, son Jerry, brothers Jack and Gerald, sisters Marjorie Ann Powell and Carol Bollin, daughter-in-law Dottie Klaschen, son-in-law Tom Considine and 4 grandchildren, Kristen Considine, Dustin Dalton, Austin and Casey Klaschen.