Dola Mercer Kleinhardt

Dola Mercer Kleinhardt, age 87, of Clare, passed away Sunday, September 20, 2009, at MidMichigan Regional Medical Center in Midland.  She was born near Beaverton on January 15, 1922, the daughter of Vern and Josie Mercer.  She married Robert Charles Kleinhardt on Aug. 30, 1940, and they lived in Clare. Dola and Robert farmed, and Dola worked for Consumers Power then and Clare Public Schools before retiring.  After Robert’s death in 1982, she met Floyd Ouilett, her traveling partner of the last 25 years.  Together they visited China, Europe, England, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, and have spent their winters in San Benito, Texas.

Dola is survived by her partner Floyd Ouilette, sons Larry Kleinhardt and wife Judy, Jack and wife Lana, both of Clare, and daughter Sheryl (Kleinhardt) and husband Jim Beyer of Saginaw, grandchildren : Marty and Joy Kleinhardt, Molly and Kevin Humphrey, Mindy and Jeff Mulheron, Joel and Kristi Kleinhardt, Janel and Paul  Ferrara, Michael and Christine Moline, and Scott Beyer, great-grandchildren: Lauren, Addy, Morgan, Carly, Isaiah, Abby, Allison, Ian, Brianna, and Gabriel.  Also surviving are her sisters, Dorothy Baldwin of Saginaw, Mary Ellen Brown of Midland, Barbara Sharp and Coralee Cassidy, both of Florida, and brother Jim Mercer of Beaverton.  Her extended family includes Floyd’s nine children and several grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Robert Kleinhardt, half brother Bill Mercer and sister Betty Sutherland.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 11 AM from the Brown Corners United Brethren in Christ Church where friends may meet with her family on Tuesday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 PM.  Burial will be in Cherry Grove Cemetery in Clare.  Memorials may be made to Brown Corner’s Church, Mid Michigan Home Care-Hospice, or the American Cancer Society.  If you are unable to attend, you are invited to sign the Kleinhardt family online condolence register at www.stephenson-wyman.com