Funeral services for William A. “Bill” Kleveter, age 100, of Watertown, SD, will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 30, 2010, at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Watertown.  Rev. John Carter will officiate.  Music will be provided by Rachel Wendler as pianist, with congregational singing.  Darrel Crocker will share music after the service in the fellowship hall. 

     Burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown.  Honorary pallbearers will be the residents and staff of Jenkins Living Center.  Active pallbearers will be Bill’s grandsons: Vance Crocker, Todd Crocker, Mark Kleveter, and Jim Barber.

     Visitation will be at the Crawford Funeral Chapel on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturday prior to services at the church.  The family is requested to meet at the church on Saturday by 10:30 a.m. for a prayer service.

     Memorials may be directed to Jenkins Foundation / Hearts Delight Program or St. Martin’s School.

     Bill was born on March 29, 1909, in Goodwin, SD, to Herman and Amelia (Pobanz) Kleveter on a farm near Goodwin, SD, and lived there until 1948. 

     Bill married Florence Schiernbeck Tesch in 1937 at St. Peter’s Church in Goodwin, SD.  The couple rented the farm home place until Bill was 39 years old.  Bill and Florence then purchased their own farm and lived there until December of 2001; when they moved to Watertown.

     Bill was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Goodwin, SD.; where he was a very active member and elder for eleven years.  After moving to Watertown, he became a member of St. Martin’s Lutheran Church.  Bill enjoyed his last years at Jenkins Living Center; where he thoroughly enjoyed visiting with friends and family, and celebrating his 100^th birthday; which was March 29, 2009.  He felt very blessed to be living there and was so pleased to have so many staff members and residents who became his good friends.  Chaplain Tsukamoto became a friend to Bill and helped him understand Rev. 3:20; which states that Jesus stands knocking at the door of our hearts and we must ask Him to come in.  So, when we die, Jesus will take us to our new home in heaven.  Bill did invite Jesus into his heart while living at Jenkins and then had assurance that he would one day go to live with Jesus.  On January 24, 2010, Bill did go to heaven to live with Jesus and all the angels rejoiced.  

     Bill is survived by three children:  Geraldine “Gerry” (Darrel) Crocker of Watertown, SD, Audrey (Joe) Doyle of Rapid City, SD, and Gerald (Bev) Kleveter of Olathe, KS; seven grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

     He was preceded in death by his wife, Florence, on October 25, 2004; his parents; four sisters: Emma, Mary, Alma, and Elsie; and three brothers: Fred “Fritz,” Walt, and Art.