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Leslie “Les” Klink

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Les Klink
August 11, 1926 to June 22, 2018

Leslie C. Klink, 91, of Elkader, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Friday, June 22, 2018 in Elkader. A celebration of life was held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 28, 2018, at Peace United Church of Christ, Elkader, with Rev. Jon Haack officiating. The family greeted friends from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, at Peace United Church of Christ, and also one hour prior to the service at the church.
Les was born August 11, 1926, on the Klink family farm near Littleport, IAto LeRoy and Irma (Piehl) Klink. He attended the Cox Creek township country school near Communia and grew up farming under the study of his father and grandfather near Littleport and at Motor. After graduating from Elkader High School, he continued to farm with his father. In 1953, Les enlisted in the Army and served in Korea from 1953-1954. Upon returning home, he bought the family farm as well as graduating with a degree in Farm Operations from Iowa State University. Roy and Les received the State Soil Conservation Award in 1956. Les expanded the operation to 400 acres, raising Black Angus cattle, sheep, and hogs as well as corn, oats, and beans over the years.
In 1968, Les was elected to serve the people of Allamakee and Clayton counties in the Iowa Senate. In 1971, Governor Bob Ray appointed him to the Iowa Natural Resources Council, where Les served as board member and chairman.
Les was a generous and kind man, always devoted to his family first. He was also very active in his community, including Peace United Church of Christ, of which he was a lifetime member, as well as memberships in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Benevolent Lodge No. 72 AF & AM, and El Kahir Shrine Temple of Cedar Rapids.
He was a member, board member, and past president of the Clayton County Farm Bureau, director of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, board member of the Northeast Iowa Angus Association, member of the American Angus Association, board member of Three Rivers Farm Service Company, director of the Northeast Iowa Experimental Farm, director of the Iowa Beef Bull Testing Association, and board member of the Motor Mill Foundation. The Clayton County Beef Producers recognized Les as Cattleman of the Year in 1982. He was also active in Republican politics and enjoyed serving as the Clayton County chairman for numerous candidates and the party. He attended the Republican National Convention in Miami in 1972 as an alternate delegate.
In the ‘80s and’90s, Les volunteered for an international non-governmental organization mentoring farmers in the developing world, through which he traveled to assignments in Ivory Coast, the former Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Latvia.
In 2015, Les and Mary were awarded the Century Farm designation by the Iowa Department of Agriculture for the farm on which he proudly lived his entire life.
Survivors include Les’ wife of 46 years, Mary; his daughter, Renee and son-in-law Brian Lamson of Arlington, Va.; grandchildren, Karen and Blaise Lamson; his sister, Ila Mae Fenchel of Mason City; and his sister-in-law Beverley Klink of Marion.
Les was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Harold.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Les’ memory may be directed to Peace United Church of Christ, 301 N. Main St., Elkader, IA 52043 or St. Croix Hospice, 101 Elkader St., Strawberry Point, IA 52076.
The family wishes to express their thanks for the compassionate care given to him by St. Croix Hospice.
Condolences for the family may be left at www.murdochfuneralhome.com. Arrangements were handled by Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Manchester.

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