Loretta V. (nee Brooks) Klassen

Loretta Klassen was an accomplished, fierce woman who valued nature, her family, friends and work. She took risks, knocked down boundaries set for women of her time, traveled the world freely, with wonder and curiosity, and inspired many to be brave and sure of their worthiness and the value they add. She and her husband Wolfgang also shared adventures with friends, nieces and nephews, in-laws, and others over the years.

Loretta was born to Leonard and Virginia Brooks on April 4th, 1936 in Emmett, Idaho. She had two brothers, Gene Brooks and Leonard Brooks. She held her own with them both, as Leonard tells it. Her father was away during her early years serving in World War II, putting her under the care and teachings of her mother Virginia, and grandmother Golda. Both were also fierce women. She graduated high school in Boise, ID, went to St. Mary’s Notre Dame Indiana for a nursing certificate, and received her B.S. in Science, Salt Lake City, MSN, and Phi Beta Kappa key at the University of Idaho. Loretta began her PhD in Molecular Biology and finished 2 years of her doctorate when she met Wolfgang Klassen (1932-2006) in 1959 at a dance where she said she turned to her friend and told her she had just met the man she would marry. And they did marry on August 24, 1962. Like I said, a fierce woman who went after what she wanted.

She was a nurse in Boston, MA, and finished 2 more years of her doctorate.  Loretta and Wolf moved to Slinger, WI in late 1975. When Wolf started international travels for work, Loretta took a year off to travel the world with him. She said she received her “PhD” in international travel.

After that, Loretta taught at Marquette University for 8 years and spent her summers as a nurse at Hartford Memorial Hospital. She entered the US Army Reserves at age 40 -ready for her next adventure where she developed and designed portable combat support hospitals for field troops. She often talked about the thrill of jumping out of a helicopter into a lake during combat training as a badge of honor. She served until retirement at age 65, ending her career as Lt. Colonel in the US Army Reserves. Shortly after, Loretta retired from her civilian work as vice president of patient care at Hartford Memorial Hospital. She was able to spend time with Wolfgang, who retired from leading Wisconsin’s Department of Environmental Protection before passing away in 2006. A loss she mourned to her last day.

There will not be a formal funeral for Loretta but we ask those of you who knew her and want to memorialize her passing to contribute to the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation (https://theclcf.org/). CLCF is now the caretaker of Loretta and Wolf’s lovely property in Slinger as a natural conservation area. She would have also loved it if you could plant a tree, or even sit still in the woods and enjoy.

Loretta is survived by her brother Leonard and his wife, her younger brother’s wife, three nieces, two nephews, their families, and 30+ acres of natural environment that was her former home and will live far longer than any of us.

The Berndt-Ledesma Funeral Home is serving the family.

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