Mary Pauline Klose

Mary Pauline Klose, age 101, of Grants Pass, died at her home Thursday, January 8, 2014.

A visitation will be Thursday, January 16, 2014 from 10:00 -11:00 am at Hull and Hull Funeral Directors.
A funeral service will begin at 11:00am. A gathering and interment will follow.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Rogue Valley Humane Society, PO Box 951, Grants Pass, Oregon 97528 or Josephine County Search and Rescue, PO Box 814, Grants Pass, Oregon 97528.

Mary was born December 18, 1912 in Lucerne, Switzerland to Maria and Peter (Fischer) Lenard. She immigrated to the United States with her mother in 1915 through the Port of Boston, traveling by train to Gresham, Oregon where her father had settled prior.

Mary graduated from Gresham High School and attended Multnomah Business School where she learned typing, filing and shorthand and was employed by PGE. She married Gerhard Klose in 1932 and lived in Lake Oswego, Oregon. In 1942 they moved to Gresham, Oregon. In 1948 they established Klose Angus Ranch in Grants Pass. Mary worked as the home economics secretary for Oregon State University Extension Service until her retirement. She continued to run the ranch after her husband’s death in 1987. She was a volunteer for the Southern Oregon Medical Center Auxiliary for 10 years. Her interests were cooking and sharing recipes, building furniture, spending time with her animals and working on her property.

Survivors include two sons, Robert Klose of Fullerton, CA, Michael Klose of Mill Creek, Washington and two daughters, Jaci Buckmaster of Rogue River and Chris Hart of Grants Pass, as well as, six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Maria Lenard, her husband, Gerhard, her sister, Margaret Hilgers Holsman, grandson, Douglas Klose and granddaughter, Helen Klose.