Founder of Clemens Gardens Dies

ST. CLOUD -- The man who created a spectacular rose garden for his ailing wife has died. Bill Clemens died Wednesday night at the St. Benedict's Senior Community in St. Cloud.

Clemens was the founder of Banker Systems in St. Cloud which is now Wolters Kluwer.

Clemens and his wife Virginia Clemens lived across from St. Cloud's Formal Garden, located at 1515 Riverside Drive Southeast and bought an adjacent piece of property and donated it to the city of St. Cloud.

Virginia Clemens later developed multiple sclerosis which prevented her from traveling, so Bill Clemens provided funding to create the Virginia Clemens Rose Garden. Virginia Clemens loved roses and by creating the rose garden, Virginia could see the gardens from her living room window and enjoy the 1,100 roses which grow there.

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis says Bill Clemens was an entrepreneur, a philanthropist and a loving father and husband.  He says the gifts Bill Clemens and his family has given to the St. Cloud community live on and he will be missed by those who knew him.

A statement from St. John's University where Clemens was an alumnus offers condolences to the Clemens family and highlights a number of sizeable financial gifts to St. John's and the College of St. Benedict.

Arrangements for Bill Clemens are being handled by the Daniel Funeral Home. Details of those arrangements are still being worked out.