YVONNE MARIE KLAAS Obituary

Yvonne Marie Klaas died on November 19, 2017. Her loving husband, of over fifty years, Kenneth D. Klaas, was at her side. He held her hand for nine hours as she crossed over, and had moved into her private, full time room, fourteen days before her death….He never left.

Yvonne was born January 13, 1951 in Alameda, CA. Her parents were Jack R. McElhinney and Barbara Jean McElhinney. Yvonne attended St. Felicitas Elementary School, Bishop O’Dowd High School and graduated at San Leandro High School.

Yvonne married Ken, her high school sveetheart (Sic), on August 19, 1967 at the age of sixteen (Ken was seventeen). She became a Mother on April 5th, 1970 when she gave birth to our son Donald L. Klaas.

Yvonne lived in California, Texas, Alabama, and Virginia while traveling with her husband, who had enlisted in the Army during the Vietnam War. Yvonne also traveled to many states, as a tourist, and loved the travel experience. She also lived in Germany, with her husband, where she made lasting friendships with both German and American nationalities. She also took fifteen cruises, to international destinations, and loved every one!

Early on, Yvonne worked as a nurse’s aide at San Leandro Memorial Hospital. Later she worked at an answering service before she started working at Mervyn’s headquarters, preliminarily, as a receptionist. While at Mervyn’s, Yvonne became a type-setter and was later promoted to Editor. Yvonne retired from Target, who had acquired Mervyn’s, at the age of fifty-five. Yvonne and Ken moved to San Diego in September 2006 and bought a home shortly thereafter. They moved to be close to their Son.

Even though Yvonne and Ken got married so young, they managed to accumulate a large fortune through hard work and disciplined savings.. This enabled Yvonne, and her Husband, to sponsor eighteen children through the Christians’ Children Fund (Now ChildFund International). Some of these are perpetual sponsorships.

Yvonne is survived by her Husband Kenneth D. Klaas, Son Donald, Daughter-in-law Melisa, Grandsons Sean and Meldon. Gifts or donations should be given in lieu of flowers to the American Lung Association.

In the final analysis of Yvonne’s life, as with the loss of any life, you should ask the question “Did she leave the planet better than she found it”? In Yvonne’s case, I believe the answer can be an unequivocal yes! This is easily ascertained by reading the letters of love and gratitude sent by our sponsored children. And yes, by the thousands of tears shed for her passing, which continue to flow!?