Clara (Halstead) Kleiman

Clara M. (Halstead) Kleiman, 76, of Cedar Rapids passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Monday, June 22, 2015, after a long illness,

Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Friday, June 26, at St. Jude Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Visitation was held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at Cedar Memorial Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids.

Burial was in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.

Clara was born the youngest of four children to Herbert and Mary (Tillman) Halstead at home in rural Fayette County on Aug. 31, 1938.

After graduating from West Union High School, she attended Iowa State Teachers College, where she received a teaching degree in 1958. She taught in Jesup and Newhall.

She married Thomas E. Kleiman on June 20, 1959. Together they had four children.

Clara spent many years at home, raising her children and running a household. She and Tom then started Kleiman Construction, Inc. in 1980, where she remained highly involved until her retirement.

Clara is survived by her husband, Tom; four children, Steve (Kris) Kleiman of Mt. Vernon, Kathleen (Mike Glavan) of Cedar Rapids, Jenny (Mike Wunn) of Clive, and Deb (Greg Hapgood) of Johnston; nine grandchildren, Thomas, Ann, Michael, Kate, Maggie, Elizabeth, Michael, Ethan and Eli; and two brothers, Dick and John Halstead.

Clara was preceded in death by her parents and her brother George.

Education was Clara’s passion. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kleiman Family Scholarship Fund through the Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation to help local deserving students achieve higher education.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.      26u26