Clara Donnelly, 98, St. Cloud, formerly of Holdingford

August 1, 1921 – November 14, 2019

The Mass of Christian Burial, celebrating the life of Clara Donnelly, age 98 of St. Cloud, formerly of Holdingford, will be 11:00 AM, Wednesday, November 20 at the Church of All Saints, St. Mary in Holdingford. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Clara died Thursday at the Sanctuary in St. Cloud. There will be a visitation after 10:00 AM, Wednesday at the church in Holdingford. Arrangements are being made by the Miller-Carlin Funeral Homes.

Clara was born August 1, 1921 in Holdingford to Frank and Elizabeth (Vos) Ebnet. She married her first love, Ervin Schmidt, on October 14, 1941. He was accidently killed on November 23, 1953. Clara married her second husband, Alfred Klug, on June 11, 1957. He passed away on December 13, 1963. She married her third husband, Joe Donnelly on July 31, 1965. He passed away on December 30, 1995. Clara was a strong, hardworking woman who spent her early married years on their farms. She raised large gardens and preserved most the of food they ate. She loved playing cards, bingo, quilting, doing many crafts and cooking and baking. She was on the District 114 School Board . She was a member of the Holdingford City Council for 8 years and she was active with Helping Hands. She worked at Headly Hardware for 20 years. She loved her family and extended family and loved when they would visit her. She is a member of the Church of All Saints, St. Mary; the Christian Women, the Rosary Society and the Holdingford American Legion Auxiliary.

Clara is survived by children, Diane Leder, Remer; Karen Warzecka, St. Joseph; Dennis Schmidt, Swan River; her step-children, Karen (Ray) Knutson, Little Falls; Loren Klug, Sauk Centre; Gerry (Linda) Klug, Holdingford; 13 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Elizabeth Ebnet, her step-mother; her husbands, Ervin Schmidt; Alfred Klug and Joe Donnelly; her 12 siblings, two sons-in-law; and a grandson, Brian Warzecka.

Clara’s family would like to thank Benedict Court and the Sanctuary for the excellent care she was given. A special Thank You to Sandy, the nurse from Hartland Hospice.