Doris Ruth Kleckner

Doris Ruth Kleckner, age 93, passed away in Portage on Thursday, October 7, 2021. Doris was born on July 14, 1928, in Humbird, WI. She was one of six children born to Paul H. and Frieda (Schenk) Zerbel. Doris graduated from Humbird High School and LaCrosse Vocational School. She was united in marriage to John Kleckner on January 7, 1948, in Neillsville, WI. He preceded her in death on March 27, 2016.

Doris held several jobs—clerk of courts in Neillsville; clerk/treasurer for the Village of Whiting Utilities; administrative assistant/bookkeeper for St. Michael's Credit Union; administrative assistant for a stock brokerage firm in Stevens Point, WI; and administrative assistant at Farmers Telephone Company in Lancaster, WI.

Doris stayed active with church, choir, bowling, golf, gardening, and bridge. She was also a great cook and avid cleaner. As she and John approached their retirement years, they began traveling. Upon retirement, they spent almost two decades as snowbirds in Mesa, AZ. They loved to spend time in Arizona with friends, new and old, playing cards, golfing, and singing. They also enjoyed entertaining family and friends during winter breaks. Doris had a fondness for dogs and always spoiled them.

Survivors include daughters Jayne (Richard Helmke) Kleckner of Oshkosh and Sandra (Dennis) Drew of Portage; grandchildren, Calvin (Rachel Mank) Milbach, Kevin (Erin) Milbach, Ryan (Ashley) Drew and Andrea (Travis) Halverson; son-in-law, Ken Grzesiak; and seven great-grandchildren, with one on the way in November. She is also survived by one sister-in-law, Betty Zerbel, 3 nieces, and 6 nephews.

In addition to her parents, Doris was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, John; her daughter, Wendy Kleckner; her brothers, Arthur (Irene) Zerbel, Donald Zerbel, and Herman Zerbel; her sisters Alma (LaVerne) Kaufman and Alice Lorraine (DeWayne) Schweinler; and her sister-in-law, Joyce (Robert) Duckert.

The family would like to thank Marsha and Steve Sisley for being such great neighbors, Maxine Anderson, for her never-ending friendship, and all of her bridge friends she met along the way in Stevens Point and Lancaster. They would also like to thank the staff at Tivoli in Portage and Agrace HospiceCare for the care they provided in Doris' last months.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 11, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. noon at Martin Schwartz Funeral Home & Crematory in Lancaster. Private family Inurnment will be held for John and Doris at a later date in Neillsville. Family and friends may call on Saturday, December 11, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. until time of services at the funeral home. A luncheon will follow services, which all are invited to attend. Martin Schwartz Funeral Home & Crematory in Lancaster is assisting the family.


In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or Agrace HospiceCare.