Helen Kliner

Helen Genevieve Kliner, 92, of Crookston, MN, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, Monday morning, April 2, 2018, in RiverView Hospital, in Crookston, MN.

Helen was born June 6, 1925 to John and Anna (Sabol) Vanyo, in East Grand Forks, MN, and was one of six children. In her early years, Helen attended country school in Northland Township, Dist. #196, through 8th grade. She would later attend and graduate from Alvarado High School in 1943. Following high school Helen continued her education in East Grand Forks, MN, where she graduated Normal School Training, in 1944. Soon after, Helen would continue her love for teaching at a county school near Tabor, MN. While Helen was in school, she attended a “tie social”, where she met the love of her life, her husband, Herbert Henry Kliner.  The two were united in marriage on December 30, 1946, in Tabor, MN.  Helen and Herbert had five beautiful children together, Geraldine, Jeanie, Johnnie, Judy, and Jenny.  Together, as a family, they spent most of their lives farming in the Euclid, MN, area.  To go along with teaching and farming, Helen also worked at Gene’s Marine and later Happy Joe’s.  Helen was a member of several organizations in the area, such as, Birthday Club, Homemaker’s, Catholic Daughters, VFW, Euclid American Legion, and the Euclid St. Mary’s Church Choir.  Helen loved watching the Minnesota Twins games on tv and was even able to attend a few of their games with her grandsons.  She loved embroidering dish towels, and spending time with her family, playing several different card games, weekly, at the Golden Link and later at the Villa St. Vincent. Some of these games included smear, hand & foot, and golf.  Helen loved all her children and grandchildren dearly and will be greatly missed by them and all those she had the chance to meet.

In passing Helen is survived by her five children, Geraldine (Gene) Ovsak of Crookston, MN, Jeanie (Francis) Lindgren of Crookston, MN, Johnnie (Bonnie) Kliner of Beach, ND, Judy (Steve) Wangeman of Green Acres, WA, and Jenny (Stan) Haugtvedt of Warren, MN.  Also surviving Helen are her 16 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren; siblings, Ruth (Harley) Lindgren, Norbert (Cecelia) Vanyo; and brother-in-law Donald Swartz. Helen is proceeded in passing by her husband, Herbert; parents, John and Anna; sisters, Gertrude Kotrba, Anna Swartz, and Cecelia Kovar.

The family would like to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, expressions of sympathy, and for your presence, whether in body or spirit, at this Celebration of Helen’s life.

A Funeral Mass of Christian burial will be held to celebrate Helen’s life on April 5, 2018, at 2:00PM, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Crookston, MN. Visitation with the family will be held the night before, April 4, 2018, from 5:00-7:00PM, with a prayer service to follow at 7:00PM, at Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home, in Crookston, MN.  Burial will take place on a later date at Prairie View Cemetery, in Euclid, MN. The Very Reverend Vincent Miller will be presiding.