Vernon Edward Fleeger

Vern E. "Skip" Fleeger, age 65, of Clark died in a Clark care center late Wednesday evening, July 25, 2007 due to cancer. Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 30, 2007 at 11AM in the Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Clark with the Reverend Steve Foss officiating. Burial will follow in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Honorary casketbearers will be his lunchtime friends at Willow Lake. Active casketbearers will be Dick Austin, Lee, Hal and Lane Beauvais, Bob Hilgemann, David Abens, Jeff Jacobson and Mike Finnegan. He was born on July 6, 1942 at Willow Lake, the son of Louis Taylor and Margaret Carol (Arwood) Fleeger. He grew to adulthood in the Willow Lake area graduating from Willow Lake High School in 1960. Following his high school education he attended and graduated from Northern State University in Aberdeen. He was united in marriage to Charlene Kruse on March 25, 1967 at Aberdeen. He began teaching and coaching basketball at Milbank Junior High School in 1966. From 1967 -1972 he taught and coached at McIntosh High School, and then in 1972 he was employed at Clark High School where he taught until 1978. He then became a salesperson for McFleeg Feeds until retiring in 2001. He was a member of the Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ at Clark where he had served on various committees and was a present member of the Board of Trustees. Skip was an avid fisherman and hunter, especially ducks and geese, and a lifelong Dodger baseball fan. Family was a very important part of his life. He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his granddaughter Chiara. A favorite pastime was driving to Willow Lake to look at his farmland, checking out the crops and observing the wildlife. He enjoyed traveling, having traveled to all 50 states, Paris, France and Puerto Rico. Survivors include his wife Charlene of Clark; a daughter Jenna Lovely and husband Joseph of Rochester, MN; a granddaughter, Chiara; siblings, Don Fleeger and wife Linda of Webster and Gail Beauvais and husband Herb of Willmar, MN; and many nieces and nephews. He also leaves sisters-in-law, Coralyn Fleeger of Watertown and Janet Hilgemann and husband Dale and a brother-in-law Earl Kruse and wife LaVonne all of Aberdeen. Preceding him in death were his parents and a brother, Boyd Fleeger of Watertown. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 5-7 PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and after 10AM at the Church on Monday morning. Email condolences at www.furnessfuneralhome.com