William N. Kleeschulte

William “Bill” Norman Kleeschulte, 93, of Raytown, Missouri went home to be with the Lord on December 13, 2018. Bill was born in Corder, Missouri on August 6, 1925 to Sadie and Amel Kleeschulte.

Bill graduated from Corder High School in 1943 and was drafted into the United States Navy on November 18, 1943. He was stationed on Okinawa as a Radioman Second Class, serving his country during World War II until May of 1946.

Bill married Julia Ann (Stuenkel) on September 4, 1949 at Zion Lutheran Church in Corder, Missouri. He knew “she was the one” from the first time they went out.

In high school Bill worked as a “soda jerk” at the Corder Drug Store. He advanced to the shoe factory in Higginsville until moving to Kansas City with his new bride. A friend referred him to National Life, where he began his career in insurance. In 1959, he moved to Allstate Insurance Company where he worked 36 years before retiring in 1995.

Bill was a member of the DAV Chapter #2 and was a member of Peace Lutheran Church for 60 years. He loved to fish with buddy Harry Claussen, brother Ralph Kleeschulte, and son-in-law Carey Weinel, and for many years took a yearly fishing trip to Canada with several buddies. Bill, “The Raytown Fisherman” and “KC0FI” was also an avid CB and ham radio operator. He could be heard chatting with his brother Ralph “K0UNR” every evening.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Ralph Kleeschulte, his oldest daughter Denise Atkeisson, and a grandson Jason Atkeisson.

He is survived by his wife Julia of 69 years, daughter Sherry (Carey) Weinel, Lee’s Summit, MO, daughter Cynthia (Don) VanDerbur, Olathe, KS, daughter Pam (Phil) Morgan, Lee’s Summit, MO, six grandchildren: Lorie (Craig) Norris, Debbie (Rick) Greenfield, Dayna (Mike) Anderson, Kayla (Kyle) Yehle, Matt VanDerbur, and Alisha Morgan, seven greatgrandchildren: Brittany, Jessica, Christopher, Nathan, Jamie, Tyler and Conner as well as niece Eva Hall and nephew Jeff (Julie) Kleeschulte.

Memorial funds will be donated to Peace Lutheran Church.

Visitation will be 930AM, with service at 1030AM, Tuesday, Dec. 18 at Peace Lutheran Church, 8240 Blue Ridge Blvd.; 2PM burial at Zion Lutheran, Corder, MO.