Ethel Eileen Klempel, 76, of Blackduck, died Friday, June 15, 2012 at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center in Bemidji, Minnesota.

Funeral Services will be held Monday, June 25, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the Evangelical Free Church in Blackduck with Pastor Dwight Warden officiating. Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 24, 2012 from 5-7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service at Cease Funeral Home of Blackduck and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in Lakeview Cemetery immediately after services, followed by lunch. Cease Family Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.

She was born December 21, 1935 in Moose Park Township, east of Blackduck, to Ervin and Thora (Beighley) Ferdig. She attended Moose Creek Country School for grades 1-8, she graduated from Blackduck High School in 1953 and moved to Minneapolis to find employment. She became a clerk typist for Toro Mfg. and later worked in the steno pool at Graco Mfg. from 1955-1957, she attended Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada. While there, she taught DVBS in rural school houses in Montana and in North Dakota under the American Sunday School Union. There, she met her future husband, Robert Klempel of Savage, MT.

Robert had also graduated from Prairie Bible Inst. and was a missionary under the ASSU. They were married on March 15, 1958 and lived in Sidney, MT until the fall when they moved to Sioux Falls, SD. where he attended Sioux Falls College. During that time, Calvary Baptist Church in Lennox, SD called him to be their pastor. After a year there, he transferred to Seattle Pacific College and she worked for Alaska Commercial Company as a typist. Robert graduated in 1962 and they moved to Oakland, CA. where he attended Western Baptist Seminary and she worked for State Farm in Berkley, CA until they were accepted by Baptist Mid-Missions to work in Brazil which they did for numerous years. In 1968 they adopted Marla from Glendive, Montana and then went back to Brazil. In 1972 they moved to Seattle for 2 years, and then moved to Minnesota again and then to Oregon. Robert died in 1986. Ethel then moved back to Minnesota where she worked for Northern Pines Nursing Home, and Anderson Fabrics in Blackduck. In 1990 she moved to Sante Fe, NM , and then Chisago City and back to Blackduck in 1998 where she has resided since. Ethel enjoyed writing letters, crocheting, knitting, and baking for her grandchildren. She was a member of the Blackduck Evangelical Free Church.

She is survived by a daughter, Marla (Dan) Savich of Blackduck; 4 grandchildren, Siera Savich, Dakota Savich, Beau Savich, and Josephine Savich, all of Blackduck; 2 brothers, Glen (Joyce) Ferdig and Donald (Mary) Ferdig both of Blackduck; her sister-in-law, Mercein Ferdig of Bemidji; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; her parents, Ervin and Thora Ferdig and a brother, Robert Ferdig.