Obituary of Russell Klay

Russell Klay, age 88, passed away Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Lake Regional Health System in Osage Beach, Missouri. Russell was born in George, Iowa on August 24, 1932 to John and Gertrude Klay. He lived on the family farm and graduated from Rock Rapids High School in 1950. He went to South Dakota State University for 2 years, then was drafted into the army during the Korean War. Upon discharge, he continued his education at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, graduating in 1956. There he met Georgia, who would become his wife for 64 years. He liked to tell the story that he heard her sing with the college choir and decided she was the girl for him. They were married on August 19, 1956 at the Methodist Church in Odebolt, Iowa. He worked for Prudential Insurance Company in Minneapolis and at an accounting firm in Austin, Minnesota. During that time, his son Chris was born. In 1962 the family moved to Omaha, Nebraska where he started work at the Omaha Airport Authority. He enjoyed the work and was proud to be a part of a large expansion of the Airport Terminal during that time. He participated in arts groups, Kiwanis, and enjoyed golf, conservation groups, and fishing on vacations with Georgia and Chris. In 1992 He retired and he and Georgia moved to Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, where he could play golf, fish, boat, play with his dogs, and watch the lake and the birds from the living room window. He loved the Lake and the people we met. He leaves his wife, Georgia, and son, Chris, including a number of nieces and nephews and great and grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings, Eldora, Annabelle, Reynold, John W., and Stanley. He requested cremation and no services.