Muriel Klemish

Muriel Christina Crossman Darling Christensen Klemish

RUPERT - With her children by her side, Grandma Muriel Christina Crossman Darling Christensen Klemish, 99, of Rupert, went on to the next phase of her life on Saturday, March 14, 2015, at Countryside Care and Rehabilitation Center in Rupert.

She was born June 14, 1915, in Topaz, Idaho, to Clark and Edna (Luker) Crossman. After her birth, the family moved to Bellevue, Idaho. In her teenage years the family moved to Jerome where she finished school. Muriel married and had a daughter, Juanita Darling, and later divorced. She married Raymond Christensen and later divorced after having four children, Phyllis, Gladys, Robert, and Ernest Christensen. In 1961, she married Loren Klemish. They moved to the Mini-Cassia area, working in construction. They bought a dairy north of Rupert and lived there until the passing of Loren.

Grandma was a hard worker all her life. Being a single mother of five children, supporting them herself, she would do anything for her children if it were possible. For 20 years she worked at the Burley Care Center and then retired. When not at the care center, you would find her busy at the dairy caring for the calves. She loved animals and caring for any stray cat. She had one very protective rooster who never let anyone get the better of her.

She never missed watching Jeopardy or missed a chance to play a game of Flinch (cards). She taught her family to work hard and do the job right. She had a magic touch with green beans - which were always served on holidays. Her grandchildren always looked forward to the cookies and the ice cream buckets at Christmas. Among all her chores, we don’t know when she made time to make them.

Grandma saw a lot of changes in the world during her life, one, being the automobile. She chose to never tackle this one and never learned how to drive. This gave her family the blessings of taking her everywhere. The microwave was another change, which after much persuasion, she did buy one.

She always had a jingle to sing, which gave us all a laugh. Her favorite time was Halloween - where she had the most jingles. She had the best laugh and sense-of-humor. She loved the outdoors and tried to be outside as much as possible. Her favorite drinks were hot chocolate and A&W root beer; she wouldn’t drink any other kind of root beer either. She enjoyed going to all the grandchildren’s activities, even though she didn’t know all the rules of sports.

After moving into Countryside Care and Rehabilitation Center, her great and great-great-grandchildren enjoyed going there just to perform for her.

She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sadly, due to working to provide, she was unable to attend until later in life; but, she stayed faithful.

She is survived by her children, Phyllis (Golden-deceased) Knutson of Rupert, Gladys (Jack) Mangum of Burley, and Ernest (Carol) Christensen of Rupert; 18 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, Loren, she was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers and sisters; one son, Robert Christensen; a daughter and son-in-law, Juanita and Alvin Strong; and a son-in-law, Golden Knutson.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at the Rupert Cemetery with Bishop Thomas R. Haynes officiating.

Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley.