Paul Kleffner, 95

Paul Kleffner “passed to his eternal reward” May 22, 2012.

Paul was granted 95 adventurous years on this earth. He was a successful businessman, an adventurer, an active community member, and a devout Catholic, but most of all Paul was a family man. He had a magnetic personality and always found a way to have fun. His eyes twinkled with youthful enthusiasm right up until the end.

Paul was born July 27, 1916, in Great Falls, the fifth of nine children. He grew up farming and graduated from Belt High School in 1935 at the height of the Great Depression.

As a young man he traveled the country and spent a year building the Grand Cooley Dam. He attended Chillicothe Business College in Missouri, where he met Thelma Putnam, “the prettiest girl on campus.” Paul and Thelma were married Dec. 12, 1940.

Early in their marriage they purchased a run-down ranch property south of East Helena and set about to make it a warm and loving home. Paul and Thelma raised their family of seven children on the ranch, which became a magnet for their children’s friends. Later on, grandchildren would be drawn to the ranch where they fed glass to an imaginary troll named Growler, played in Prickly Pear Creek, and learned to drive in Grandpa’s old truck.

Paul always found time to share and to be involved in his community. He served as a 4-H leader for 20 years, spent 50 years as an active Kiwanian, was an active member of SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish, and was honored with the Monsignor Mavsar Award. Paul was also a longtime member of the Early Morning Businessmen’s Bible Study and the Farm Bureau.

Paul particularly loved history and world geography. He wallpapered his office with the maps he loved to study and collect. Paul and Thelma’s travels took them around the world. At age 80, Paul traveled to the Holy Land, where he followed the footsteps of St. Paul and swam in the Dead Sea in his boxer shorts. His last great adventure was a cruise on the Amazon River with the late Clark Pyfer, his lifelong friend and business partner.

Restoring the buildings on the century-old ranch was a lifelong labor of love for Paul. Paul filled his retirement years by sharing his unique historical ranch home and barn with guided tours. Over the years he entertained tourists from all over the globe with his humorous stories, some of them true.

In 2002, Paul moved into the Waterford and in 2005 he sold the ranch to Dennis and Stacy Young.

Paul’s devoted wife predeceased him in February 2000. He was also preceded in death by infant daughter, Ruth Ellen in 1944. Paul was the last surviving member of his family. He was preceded by his parents, John and Clara (Bogner) Kleffner; brothers, Joseph, Albert, Leo, Frank and Philip; also sisters, Marie Goo, Mildred Kleffner, Laura Higby Yeater and Christine Armstrong.

Patriarch of a large family, Paul’s greatest pride was his family. He is survived by his seven children, Alice and Bill Dove of Montana City, Janet Waldron of Helena, Charles and Lynne of Bigfork, Colleen and Mike Schulte of Butte, Dorothy Kleffner of San Raphael, Calif., Irene and Randy Ewing of Spokane, and Linda and Bruce Tutvedt of Kalispell.

He is also survived by 18 grandchildren, Bill Dove and Jennie of Bozeman, Jim Dove and Natalia of Columbia, Mo., Karen and Allen Heisler of Great Falls, Mike and Jeannette Waldron of Livingston, Steve and Kristi Waldron of Fargo, N.D., Daniel and Crystal Waldron of Havre, Cherry and Clint Grey of Naples, Idaho, Amy and Shawn Stewart of Rock Hill, S.C., Josh Kleffner of Bigfork, Brenda and Hans Landwehr of Edmond Okla., Megan Schulte of Butte, Adam Schulte of Missoula, Angie and Josh Neumiller of Spokane, Daniel and Becki Holmes of Seattle, Tim Hammond of Spokane, Valarie and Dugan Gravage of Bozeman, Emily Tutvedt of Kalispell, and Andora Tutvedt of Kalispell; and many great-grandchildren. Paul is also survived by many devoted nieces and nephews.

Visitation will begin at noon with a vigil service to be held at 7 p.m. Friday, May 25, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. in Helena. Mass of Christian Burial will be noon Saturday, May 26, at SS. Cyril & Methodius Church in East Helena, with a reception to follow at the church. Burial will be at St. Ann’s Cemetery immediately following the reception.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish, 120 W. Riggs, East Helena, MT 59635; Hospice of St. Peters, c/o St. Peter’s Hospital, 2475 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601; or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family condolences.