Obituary - John A. Kloppenburg

John A. Kloppenburg, 88, passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, at Northern Montana Care Center of natural causes.

Cremation has taken place, and a celebration of John's life will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2015, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel.

The family has requested that memorials be made in John's name to St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church or to the charity of the donor's choice.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit John's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for his family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.

John was born on December 17, 1926, in Spokane, Washington, to Augustine and Margaret (Kennedy) Kloppenburg. He was raised on the family dairy farm outside of Cheney, graduating from Cheney High School in 1945. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1945, and served until his honorable discharge in 1947.

He returned to the Cheney area where he trained as a telegrapher. John began his career with the Great Northern Railroad in 1947 and worked as a dispatcher until his retirement in 1989. John married his beloved Jessie Bullock in 1950 in Boulder, Montana, and their union was blessed with four children. They moved to Havre with the railroad and raised their children there. John was a lifetime member of the Eagles. John enjoyed vegetable gardening, woodworking and building his model trains. He loved flower gardening and caring for his yard.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Augustine and Margaret Kloppenburg; and his brothers and sisters-in-law, Chester (Rose) and Delbert (Sharon) Bullock.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Jessie Kloppenburg of Havre; his daughters, Karen (Terry) Pollington and Rhonda (Gary) Gregoire, all of Havre, and Lynette (Robert) Maes of Anaconda; his son, John "Scott" (Brenda) Kloppenburg of Kremlin; his nine grandchildren; his 10 great-grandchildren; and his brother-in-law, John (Arla) Bullock of Butte.