Benjamin E. Klehr, 19, St. Joseph

May 13, 1997 - October 6, 2016

Loving son, devoted friend and bright light to all. He will be remembered for his kind, gentle spirit and his love for Christ.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. on Monday, October 17, 2016 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Joseph for Benjamin E. Klehr, age 19, of St. Joseph. Fr. Jerome Tupa, OSB will officiate. Burial will take place in the St. Joseph Parish Cemetery in St. Joseph with full military honors.

Visitation hours will be from 4-8 p.m. on Sunday, October 16 and after 9:30 a.m. on Monday, both in the Heritage Hall at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Joseph.

Ben was born May 13, 1997 in Duluth MN and passed away on October 6, 2016 at the young age of 19. Up until the age of 5 he and his mother Sarah Klehr lived in St. Cloud. From there they moved to St. Joseph, MN. He attended St. Joseph Lab School and then Kennedy Elementary. He graduated from Apollo High School in 2015. At the time of his death he was enrolled at Central Lakes College. He was studying to become a police officer.

Ben joined the Army National Guard and graduated from basic training in November of 2015 from Fort Benning, GA. He recently was promoted to the rank of Army Specialist. He was an avid long boarder. His musical interests ranged from rap to country music, to loving Frank Sinatra. Ben enjoyed swimming at the quarry with friends, traveling to Colorado with the group Young Life, admired loud pipes and fast cars, hunting, spending time with his mom, closest friends and his two cats Sasha and Dunn. He had a special connection to Duluth and camping in the BWCA.Ben is survived by his loving mother Sarah Klehr (formerly from St. Joseph), Sarah’s fiancé Jeff Houdek and his children Francis and Sadie Sue, grandparents Ron and Carla Klehr, aunts and uncles Toni and Tim McEvoy, Jenny and Todd Hofstad, cousins Jack, Hank, Gus, and Sam McEvoy, Grace Hofstad and his half sister Peyton Brandt.

Ben is survived by his loving mother Sarah Klehr (formerly from St. Joseph), Sarah’s fiancé Jeff Houdek and his children Francis and Sadie Sue, grandparents Ron and Carla Klehr, aunts and uncles Toni and Tim McEvoy, Jenny and Todd Hofstad, cousins Jack, Hank, Gus, and Sam McEvoy, Grace Hofstad and his half sister Peyton Brandt.

Ben is also survived by Charlie Section, 2nd Platoon, Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron 94th Calvary Regiment, 194th 5-15 Calvary, Troop Bravo (Fort Benning, GA), the “5 K’s” band of brothers, the “Joe Town Boys”, and countless friends and teachers he loved dearly.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Eagle’s Healing Nest and Young Life of Minnesota.