Clarena was called to her heavenly home Thursday evening, April 29, 2021, at Goldfinch Estates in Fairmont. Public visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday, May 14, 2021, at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont. Memorials are preferred to Martin Luther High School.

Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

Clarena Marie (Christensen) Rode was born Sept. 29, 1922, in Fairmont, Minn., to Otto and Freda (Sorensen) Christensen. She attended Rolling Green Country School and Fairmont High School,where she graduated salutatorian for the class of 1940. In 1965, Clarena attended Jackson Vocational School for clerical courses. On Nov. 23, 1947, Clarena was united in marriage to Rudolph Rode in Fairmont, Minn. Together they were blessed with four children, Wendell, Marilyn, Marlene and Marcille, and 50 years of marriage.

Clarena and Rudy made their home south of Welcome. Clarena worked at several different jobs throughout her life, from 1940 to 1947 as a secretary to the Fairmont High School principal, summers as a car hop and waitress, Atlantic and Pacific checkout clerk,

Fairmont Courthouse, office manager at Wolf’s Habein Store in Fairmont for 12 years, office manager at Ehlers Store in Fairmont for three years, and Stokely-Van Camp in Fairmont doing office payroll. The job she treasured the most was caring for her family as a homemaker. Clarena was a member of Zion Lutheran Church-Fraser Township where she was a kindergarten Sunday School teacher and president and secretary of Zion LWML. She was the secretary of Mankato-Fairmont Lutheran Social Service for a number of years.

Clarena was a life member of both the DAV Auxiliary where she served as chaplain, and the 1st Armored Division-81st RCN, American Legion Auxiliary, and VFW Auxiliary. Clarena was a woman of great faith in her Savior, Jesus, and dearly loved her family and friends. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Clarena was so proud of her Danish heritage and was an amazing writer of cards and letters. She enjoyed traveling, attending Army reunions, playing cards, oil painting, ceramics, feeding birds, flowers and gardening, canning dill pickles and peaches, and making her homemade potato salad. She will be remembered for her generosity and hospitality.

She is survived by her family who she dearly loved, including son, Wendell (Helen) Rode of Welcome, Minn.; daughters, Marilyn (Lon) Oelke of Ceylon, Minn., Marlene Karnatz of Woodbury, Minn., and Marcille (Jerry) Barvels of Lake Lillian, Minn.; 16 grandchildren, Leah (David) Rode-Mulder, Brian (Reilley) Rode, Kendra (Tyler) Pomerenke, Nicole (Ali) Zaidi, Shannon (Matthew) Singleton, Angel (Matt) Moeller, Amber (Troy) Droegemueller, Tiffany (Ian) Larsen, John (Anita) Karnatz, Aaron (Bethany) Karnatz, Adam Barvels, Jacob (Kelley) Barvels, Matthew (fiancee, Nisa) Barvels, Nick (Amanda) Oelke, Erik (Rachel) Oelke, and Mike (Kristel) Oelke; 26 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Pauline Rode and Harriet Rode; and many cherished nieces and nephews, other relatives and treasured friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Freda Christensen; parents-in-law, Ewald and Josephine Rode; her loving husband, Rudy, and all his siblings; grandson, Michael Karnatz; great-granddaughter, Merissa Droegemueller; brother, Harold (Betta) Christensen; Danish cousins, Vagn and Erna Nygaard; and dear friend, Edwin Maloney. www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

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