Delores J. Klinkenberg, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, family, and cherished memories. She was born on June 24, 1934, in Horton, Kansas, to George and Flora Wolff. The youngest of four children, Delores spent her early childhood in Everest, KS, before the family moved to Basehor when she was seven.
Delores graduated from Basehor High School, where she met the love of her life, George Klinkenberg. They were married in 1951 and together built a beautiful life, raising five children and eventually becoming the proud grandparents of twelve grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
In 1970, she and George moved the family to Shawnee, Kansas, where they continued raising five children, two daughters, two sons, and one granddaughter. A devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, Delores dedicated her life to her family. She was a stay-at-home mom, actively involved in her children's lives as a member of the local PTA and a Brownie troop leader. She also held a job during a time when many women did not work outside the home, seeking the social connection and sense of purpose it gave her.
Delores and George were also partners in business, founding Bi-State Transfer Company, which they ran together until their retirement in Lenexa, KS.
Family was at the heart of everything Delores did. Her home was the gathering place for countless Sunday dinners, filled with laughter, love, and her home-cooked meals. Summers were spent around the pool and grandkids would line up to measure themselves and celebrate the milestone of finally being taller than Grandma.
Delores was preceded in death by her beloved husband, George, and two sons, Ed and Tom. She is survived by two daughters, June Slocum (Kent) of Prairie Village, KS, Carol Klinkenberg of Kansas City, KS, and granddaughter Shelli Jaye (Brandon) of Leawood, KS; 12 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren.
Delores’s life was one of quiet strength (George would often say she was petite but powerful!), warm devotion, and unwavering love. Her legacy will live on in the family she built and the hearts she touched.
A visitation for Delores will be held Friday, April 11, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Basehor United Methodist Church, 18660 158th Street, Basehor, Kansas 66007, followed by the Funeral Service at 11:00 AM. Interment in the Glenwood Cemetery, 18476 N 158th Street, Basehor, Kansas 66007. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Village Shalom Senior Living in Overland Park, Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care, or the Outreach Program at Basehor United Methodist Church.
