Joan A. Klieve (Nee Miller)

• Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 9:30am-10:30am followed by a service at 10:30am , at OUR SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH 5901 Westway, Greendale, WI 53129. Burial to follow at Wisconsin Memorial Park Cemetery.

Joan Alice (nee Miller) Klieve was taken peacefully to heaven on Monday, May 27, after a hard-fought battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Born June 8, 1930, to Harry and Dorothy (nee Gieschen) Miller, Joan was baptized and confirmed at Siloah Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. Of her neighborhood, church and school pals, one young man, Otto Klieve became a special friend. Their relationship grew through high school, Joan at Rufus King and Otto at Boys Tech. The Miller and the Klieve families built an up-north cottage together. Milwaukee winters introduced Joan to another love – ice skating – which she enjoyed into her 70’s.
While Otto continued his education at UW-Madison they were married on August 16, 1952. After graduation, Otto’s job with Oilgear moved the couple and baby Jeffrey to the Cleveland, Ohio area. During these years the family grew to include John, Patricia, and Daniel.
So far from Milwaukee, the Klieves fashioned “family” from each church they joined.
Joan was busy running Sunday School, Christmas programs and Vacation Bible School, church dinners and couples’ club. Lifelong friendships were made.
Company promotions brought the Klieves back to Milwaukee. Church was still central to their family. They joined Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, where Joan was active in Bible studies, church dinners, pledge programs, and the handbell choir.
The Klieves enjoyed travel, from exploring the USA in tents and campers with the kids, to summer stays at the family cottage, to international travel, to cruises, to wintering in Florida. Joan was a life-long learner, too, taking college classes, learning jewelry making with Otto, and mastering handicrafts like rug hooking, knitting, quilt tying and counted cross-stitch.
Joan was the center of her family and she loved each of them dearly. And she kept faith in the Lord Jesus at the center of her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents and in-laws, brother Robert, and sons Jeffrey and Daniel.
Those remaining to love and miss her are her beloved husband of nearly 72 years Otto, son John (Charlotte) and daughter Patricia (Brian) Rebholz, daughter-in-law Jane Klieve, grandchildren Ben (Mindy), Anne (Thom Lappas), Joanne (Janine Mercer), Nathan (Danielle), Stephanie (Chris) Anderson, Melissa Rebholz (Renee Drews) Katelyn and Justin; great-grandchildren Jeffrey and Zoey Klieve, Claire and Jakob Anderson, Finley and Otto Klieve and Namyah Beal; sister-in-law Barbara Miller, cousins, nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the staffs of Harbour Village, Harbour Place and Allay Hospice for their care and kindness.
Memorials may be made to The Word Today mission of Our Shepherd Lutheran Church.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 9:30am-10:30am followed by a service at 10:30am at OUR SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH 5901 Westway, Greendale, WI 53129. Burial to follow at Wisconsin Memorial Park Cemetery.