Elmer M. Klein, age 97 of Tracy, passed away Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at Sanford Tracy Medical Center.  Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 25, 2018 at Tracy United Methodist Church.  Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Tracy Area Funeral Home, and will continue one hour prior to the service at church on Monday.  Burial is in the Tracy City Cemetery.  Stephens Funeral Service – Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Elmer Matthew Klein was born March 1, 1921 on a farmstead one mile east of Tracy in Monroe Township, Lyon County, Minnesota to David and Florence (Briard) Klein.  He moved with his parents to a nearby farmsite and later to the one he now occupied north of Tracy.  Elmer attended country school a mile and a half west of his home.  He was united in marriage to Florence Jean Flesner on December 6, 1941.  Elmer spent the early years of his adulthood working on area farms until he acquired a job with the Tri-County Co-op in Tracy and he, his wife Jean, and daughter Cleone moved into Tracy.  A son, Loren, joined the family after the move into town.  Elmer joined the National Guard which was activated during the Korean War.  He and his family moved to Camp Rucker, Alabama for training.  But farming was in Elmer’s blood, so after his return from Alabama, he began farming with his mother and brother, Melvin.  Following Jean’s death, Elmer married Lila Pearl Klein on February 23, 1956 and they had a daughter, Robin, as well as Lila’s three children: Wayne, Lynn, and Donna.  Upon Donna’s death, Elmer and Lila raised her daughter, Melissa.  Elmer and Lila were married 57 years before her death on March 21, 2013.  Upon his retirement from farming, Elmer did carpentry work, and after that he was responsible for Lila’s care at home until an aneurysm in his brain necessitated her move to a nursing home.  He lived the majority of his life within 3 miles of his birthplace.  Elmer was proud of his 73 year membership in the American Legion where he served in many capacities.  He was a member of the Tracy Methodist Church, and served 39 years on the board at the Tracy Nursing Home – most of those years as chairman.

Elmer is survived by his children: Cleone (Allan) Richardson of Tracy, Loren (Patrick) Klein of Minneapolis, Robin Hay of Tracy; stepson Wayne (Gloria) Klein of Tracy; and step-granddaughter Melissa (Landy) Millican of Tracy; 12 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; 9 great-great-grandchildren; and brothers: Melvin (Betty) Klein of Tracy, Dale (Nancy) Klein of Tracy, and Lyle (Mary) Klein of Ely.  He is preceded in death by his parents, both wives, stepdaughters Lynn Isenberg and Donna Klein, granddaughters Donna Story and Michelle Klein, sister Margaret Peck, brothers Davey and Richard, and good friend Cec Griffin.