The Funeral Service of Jerry Kluess

On Tuesday, September 29, 2020, Jerald "Jerry" Kluess, loving husband and father of two, grandfather of two, and great-grandfather of one, passed away at the age of 80.  A private family funeral service will be held on Sunday, October 4, 2020, at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings at 1:00 p.m.  The funeral service will be live-streamed on the Eidsness Funeral Home Facebook page as well as recorded and uploaded to the Eidsness Funeral Home website later Sunday afternoon.  Burial will take place at a future date.  Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2020, from 2:00 until 5:00 p.m., also at Eidsness Funeral Home.  Guests are invited to enter the building to visit with family during visitation or participate in a drive-through visitation for those who are not comfortable entering.  Those utilizing the drive-through visitation should park in the front driveway of the funeral home near the front doors and family will greet guests without exiting the vehicle.  Family requests that masks be worn throughout the entirety of the visitation.

Jerry was born on September 27, 1940, in Clark County, South Dakota to Henry and Lyla Kluess.  He graduated from Hendricks, Minnesota High School in 1958, and Mankato State University in 1962.  During his years in school, he proudly acted as team quarterback and frequently played basketball.  On January 13, 1962, he married Donna Sagmoe in Hendricks.  They raised two sons, Terry and Troy.  He was a science teacher for 40 years in Rockwell (Iowa), Hendricks and Brookings.  His love of sports led him to become a coach of basketball, football and track.  He led the Brookings Girls Track team to the state championship in 1989.

Jerry was actively involved with sports throughout his life, watching the Twins, Vikings, and attending SDSU games when he was able.  He played on the South Dakota senior (70+) baseball championship team at the 2011 Senior World Series in Phoenix, Arizona, and also enjoyed playing softball in the summer, hunting pheasants in the fall, and playing golf with his friends whenever the weather allowed.  Jerry loved his family, and was proud to donate a kidney to his sister Peg in 1992.  Jerry especially loved spending time with his grandkids by playing sports with them, assisting them in science experiments, playing board games with them, attending their school band and choir concerts, and taking them sledding in the winter.

Jerry is survived by his two children Terry (Renae) of Brookings and Troy (Denise) of Shakopee (MN), two granddaughters, Alexandra (Jeremy Alf) and Cassandra and one great granddaughter, Brianna Alf; his brother Norman and sister Marcia (Olsen), brother-in-law's Earl Rue and Marlin Olsen, sister-in-law's Jean Sagmoe and Beatta Sagmoe; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Donna; his parents; and his siblings Norma (Ameele), Audrey (Morris), Henry Jr, Virginia (Houston), Donald, Robert, Joan (Wilfong) and Margaret "Peg" (Rue).

Expressions of Sympathy may be sent to:

The Family of Jerry Kluess

C/O Eidsness Funeral Home

1617 Orchard Drive

Brookings, SD 75006