Ole Jessen-Klixbull, 71, Cold Spring

August 10, 1943 – April 4, 2015

Services celebrating the life of Ole Jessen-Klixbull, age 71, of Cold Spring, will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 11, at the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring. Ole died April 4 at the St. Cloud Hospital. Burial will be in the St. Boniface Parish Cemetery, Cold Spring.

Relatives and friends may call from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, April 10, at the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring and from 9:00 to 10:50 a.m. Saturday, April 11.

Ole was born August 10, 1943, in Vorup, Jutland, Denmark, to Erik and Liss (Rykow) Jessen-Klixbüll. He married Carol (Prather) Jessen-Klixbull August 2, 1980, in Tioga, North Dakota.

He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1963 to 1972, which included leading a combined action company in Ky Khuong, Ly Tin District, Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with V for Valor and two Purple Hearts. Ole was a recruiter in the St. Cloud area for the Marine Corps from 1967 to 1971. He received a direct commission to the United States Army Reserve in 1973, serving in a number of assignments including as Battalion Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. He retired at the rank of Colonel in 2003.

He graduated from St. Cloud State University in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in social studies education and earned a master’s degree in educational counseling from Bemidji State University in 1980. Ole taught social studies at Rocori High School in Cold Spring from 1975 to 1977, 1980 to 1985 and 1990 to 2005. He served as assistant professor of military science at St. John’s University in Collegeville from 1985 to 1990. After retiring from Rocori, he was active with the American Red Cross, Skywarn and a number of emergency management agencies.

Ole had a passion for running, orienteering, cross-country skiing and sailing. He was an excellent cook and enjoyed entertaining. In his retirement years he raised grapes for the Minnesota wine industry. He was widely traveled, an avid reader and a life-long learner. Above all, Ole was a people-person — he truly loved being with people, talking with them and sharing stories about both his and their experiences.

He was a member of several organizations including the Twin Cities Danish American Fellowship, Rebild National Park Society, Minnesota Grape Growers Association, Reserve Officers Association, Marine Corps League Valhalla Detachment and the Cold Spring American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Vietnam Last Man’s Club.

Ole is survived by wife, Carol, and brothers Per (Else) Jessen-Klixbüll, Poul (Vibeke) Jessen-Klixbüll and Jess Jessen-Klixbüll, mother-in-law, Orpha Prather, brothers-in-law, Edward R. Prather, Stephen (Christine) Prather, James (Donna) Prather and nieces and nephews in Denmark and the United States. He was preceded in death by his parents and father-in-law, Edward H. Prather.