Click Here to View the Rosary & Mass for Katie

Kathern "Katie" Kling, age 84 of Lemmon, passed away Tuesday, August 31st, 2021 in her home surrounded by family, after a battle with cancer.

Visitation will be Sunday, September 5, 2021 from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon, SD.

Rosary will be held on Monday, September 6, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. all at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lemmon, SD.  Fr. Adam Hofer will officiate and burial will follow at Greenhill Cemetery in Lemmon.

Kathern "Katie" Francis Hoff was born on October 31, 1936 to Nickolas and Francis (Kuntz) Hoff, at the Lemmon Hospital. She grew up in Lemmon, attended grades 1-8 at St Mary's Catholic School and graduated from Lemmon High School in 1955.

In 1956 Katie received her diploma in Clinical Laboratory Technique from Northwest Institute of Medical Technology in Minneapolis, MN.  She then worked as a Lab Tech at Five Counties Clinic/Hospital in Lemmon.  June 1, 1957 Katie married her high school sweetheart Bernie Kling.  They raised their family on the Rippling Water Ranch until they moved to Lemmon in 2007.

Katie's unwavering faith was an essential part of her life, which generated throughout her whole family. She enjoyed reading, dancing, ice skating and spending time with friends and family. Her passion for teaching and children is reflected in the 23 years she taught at Center School and worked in the Lemmon elementary.  They all held a special place in her heart. She loved playing cards with family, Bunco with friends, growing and tending to her flowers, spending time with grandchildren and chasing around her great grandchildren.

Advice for life from Katie, for others to remember: "I want my children to know I am proud of them and love them.  I hope they love theirs as much - make your family first, spend as much time with them as you can because they grow so fast.  Cherish your time with them, it is so short."

Grateful for having shared her life are her 2 sons and daughters-in-law, Brad and Kathy Kling, Lemmon, SD; Dennis and Lea Kling, Keldron, SD; 2 daughters and son-in-law, Pamela Fox- Kling, Blackhawk, SD; Nancy and Doug Lukonen, Watertown, SD. 10 Grandchildren, Seth (Sharah) Kling, Jackie Kling, Raj Lalli, Jessie Kling (Jake Husman), Ashley Kling, Samantha Kling (Gary McCoy), Dylan (Larissa) Kling, Kristen Fox (Radley Hohenberger), Makayla Fox, Grant (Baylee) Lukonen, Holly (Lukonen) and Chris Brown, 19 great-grandchildren, Jason, Corey, Brandon, Dru, Brynlee, Quinn, CJ, Finn, Ellie, Allison, Junior, Kenzie, Porter, Carter, Hazel, June, Kynlee, Kooper and Ridge.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, 6 brothers Valentine, Stanley, Joe, Adam, Jake and Christ Hoff, 2 sisters, Deloris Thies and Elizabeth Harwood.