Clem Kreuser, age 86 of Prior Lake, entered eternal peace on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 while surrounded by his family.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 16, 2022 from 4-7PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, 4565 Pleasant Street SE, Prior Lake. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 11AM with a visitation 1-hour prior at St. Michael Catholic Church, 16400 Duluth Ave. SE, Prior Lake. Father Tom Walker will preside.
Clem will be laid to rest at St. Michael Catholic Cemetery in Prior Lake.
Friends may join the mass via live streaming by visiting http://stmichael-pl.org and clicking on the live stream tab.
On October 31, 1935 Clem was born in Shakopee, MN to Alois and Bertha (Klehr) Kreuser. He was one of their five children to be raised on the family farm in Credit River. In his youth, Clem attended country school in Credit River. Needing help on the farm, Clem left school in the 8 th grade to assist his family. When he was eighteen, Clem began a 44 year long career with Cargill.
Mechanically inclined and intelligent, Clem worked on engineering projects and eventually was the chief of maintenance at Cargill. Whether it was designing a hopper system for the barges, fixing his tractors, or repairing his wife’s sewing machine, Clem could fix it all!
On August 16, 1955 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Jordan, Clem was united in marriage to Patricia Eiden. They were blessed with nine children and 46 years together. Clem’s life was truly defined by his love and dedication to family. He instilled a strong work ethic in his children, often having them help with butchering and other farm chores.
Life wasn’t all work and no play though! If he wasn’t working, Clem was fishing on Prior Lake with his family. Every Sunday in the summer was spent fishing on Prior Lake and eating the catch of the day. In winters, the family would set up their fish house on Spring Lake and continue the Sunday tradition. In later years, Clem and Pat hosted “Girls Weekend” and “Boys Weekend” by taking the grandchildren out for weekend of swimming, fishing, and being spoiled.
Following Pat’s death in 2001, Clem found love again with Carol Riddle. They were married January 26, 2002 at Holy Trinity United Methodist Church in Prior Lake. Clem welcomed Carol’s family with open arms—he was so proud to have a growing family! They enjoyed many happy years together, traveling and hosting family, until Carol’s death in 2013. Despite the deaths of Pat and Carol, Clem’s life was later enriched when he met Marlys and was married on June 26, 2015.
Clem is loved and missed by his wife, Marlys; children, Jean Kreuser, Don (Lorrie) Kreuser, Carolyn (Jim) Mead, Barb (Mark) Berger, Joe (Lisa) Kreuser, Bev (Lane) Farnquist, Mary (John Schmeisser) Fahrenkamp, Lois (Tom) Lambrecht, Sue (Tim) Hanson; 23 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren; wife Marlys’ children, Brenda (Pat) Jerich, Cheryl (Jim) Melby and 4 grandchildren; late wife Carol’s children, Michael (Jean) Riddle, Julie (Dale) Menten, Charlie (Lani Jacobs) Riddle, Jan (Duane) Capps, Mark (Audrey) Riddle and 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Jerry Kreuser; many other loving relatives and friends.
Preceded by wives, Patricia “Pat” Kreuser and Carol Riddle- Kreuser; grandson, Mason Farnquist; great granddaughter, McKenna Mead; parents; siblings, Dorothy (Myles) Kes, Reinhardt (Theresa) Kreuser, Verena (Jim) Streefland, Mary Ellen (Bill) Connelly.
