back to home page  

back to KHS Graduates

back to Klemme School

Nova Theo Gelner

1915 - 2001

Nova Theo Gelner, 86, of Klemme died Monday, December 17, 2001 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City. Her funeral was held on Saturday, December 22 at the United Methodist Church in Klemme with Rev. Paddy Druhl officiating. Interment was at the Ell Township Cemetery, Klemme.

Nova, the daughter of Albert G. and Lillie M. (Lau) Koerner, was born July 7, 1915 at Klemme where she grew up and spent her entire life. She graduated from Klemme High School in 1932. On September 5, 1935 she married Orville Thomas Stokesbary at Lakota. They had three children: Janice, Jerry and Julie, before Orville died on December 9, 1950.

Following his death, Nova married Leon Karl Gelner on March 2, 1956 at Albert Lea, MN. They lived in Klemme until her health failed and she became a resident at Concord Care Center in Garner, June 4, 2001. Nova enjoyed her family, their friends, camping, square dancing, flowers and her pet cats. She and Leon loved to travel and spent time in the Hawaiian Islands during the winter for 28 years.

She was a member of the Klemme United Methodist Church, UMW, Circle, Square Dancers and Campers, Garden Club and had previously been a Cub Scout Leader and a 4-H Leader.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Orville Stokesbary; her parents; a brother, Kermit Koerner; and a sister, Dolores Ridder.

Survivors include her husband of 45 years, Leon Gelner of Klemme; her three children, Janice Janssen and her husband, Marvin, of Garner, Jerry Stokesbary and his wife, Sharon, of Mason City and Julie Renner and her husband, Bill, of Garner; eight grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; a brother, Gerald Koerner and his wife, Bernice, of Klemme; and a sister, Valeria Bridges of Garner. Also, Leon's family, his three children, Janice Whitehurst and her husband, Orvin of Clear Lake, Jerald Gelner and his wife, Suzee, of Laveen, AZ and Shirley Feaver of Aguanga, CA; his ten grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.

source: Belmond Independent, 27 Dec 2001

************************************************************