Obit: Klingbeil, Steven J. (1961 - 2008)

Poster: Robert Lipprandt

Email: rloss@bellsouth.net

Surnames: Corriere, Ertl, Klingbeil, Perini, Raedel, Stefancin, Wesle

----Source: The Star News (Medford, Taylor Co., WI) Thursday, August 28, 2008, Online Edition

----Klingbeil, Steven J. (April 22, 1961 - August 25, 2008)

Steven J. Klingbeil, 47, Medford, died Monday, Aug. 25 of natural causes, at his home.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Medford, with Deacon Joseph Stefancin officiating. Cremainal inurnment will take place at Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery in Medford.

Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

Steven Klingbeil was born April 22, 1961 in Medford to Reinhard and Audrey (Wesle) Klingbeil of Medford. He attended Holy Rosary School, was a 1979 graduate of Medford High School and attended Wisconsin Gateway Technical College-Kenosha School of Horticulture.

He opened The Flower Gallery when he was 22 and was in business for 26 years. The Flower Gallery was unique and truly as his store motto stated was "For those not content with the ordinary." He received a senior certificate in Floral Design from FTD. He was the first to utilize the Medford Area School-to-Work Program, offering several high school students over the years an opportunity to learn and work at his store.

He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church; Big Brothers/Big Sisters where he was a Big Brother for Josh Fleischman; was a founding member of the Medford Downtown Business Association; and a member and served on the board of the Medford Area Community Theater, and performed in "Arsenic and Old Lace" and "The Jerk."

He was a gentle, soft-spoken man who loved his family, friends and dog, Eartha. He had a passion for gardening, landscaping and cooking.

Survivors include his parents; brothers and sisters, Mary (John) Raedel of Eau Claire, Bill (Margie), Mike (Sandra), Daniel and Tim (Tracy), all of Medford, Nancy (Pat) Perini of Columbus, Ohio, and Diane (Jim) Ertl of Rosemount, Minn.; his life partner, Nick Corriere of Minneapolis, Minn.; five nieces and six nephews; a great-nephew; and other relatives and friends.

Memorials can be made in his name to Black River Industries.

Hemer Funeral Service of Medford assisted the family with arrangements.