Clara Thorpe-Yzermans

Clara W. Thorpe-Yzermans, age 89, of Willmar, died Wednesday, morning December 31, at Bethesda PleasantView Nursing Home in Willmar.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Monday, January 5, at the Church of St. Mary in Willmar. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Sunday, January 4, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar (www.petersonbrothers.com) and one hour prior to the Mass at the church.

Clara was born January 28, 1925, in Browerville, Minnesota, the daughter of William and Caroline (Dehmer) Nix. She grew up and attended rural school in the Clarissa-Eagle Bend area. Following her schooling, she worked as a housekeeper in the Clarissa-Eagle Bend area, at a steel factory in Duluth, and at the convent in St. Joseph. On August 1, 1945, she married Edwin Thorpe. In the mid 1950's, she moved to the Willmar area. Clara was a homemaker and raised her six children. Clara spent much time with her children at their activities and spent a lot of time outdoors at her boys' hockey games. She later obtained her GED with her daughter from the Willmar Vo-Tech. Edwin died in 1994 and Clara later married Louis Yzermans.

Clara was a member of the Church of St. Mary, where she was a member of the Daughters of Isabella and taught religion classes. She enjoyed helping others and volunteered as a driver for Kandiyohi County. She also enjoyed sewing, quilting, crocheting, ceramics, painting, and gardening. She was a wonderful baker and made delicious breads and donuts. She also loved to dance, especially polkas.

She is survived by her children, Dolores (and Bob) Kuhlman of Alexandria, Donna Peterson of Willmar, Darwin (and Jenni) Thorpe of Pennock, and Denise Wilton of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; a daughter-in-law, Deb Thorpe of Hutchinson; 14 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Edwin; two sons, Douglas in 1975 and Duane in 2012; four sisters, and four brothers.

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