Cheryl "Sherry" Kleppin, age 79, of Wessington Springs, passed away Saturday, December 7, 2024, at Valley Lakes Assisted Living at Valley, Nebraska.

View Sherry's Memorial Folder

Her life was celebrated at 2:00 PM, Saturday, December 14, at the 1905 Opera House at Wessington Springs.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Wessington Springs Opera House or the Nebraska Humane Society.

Cheryl "Sherry" Bell was born October 10, 1945, in Wessington Springs, South Dakota, to Frank Jr. and Lora (Newcomer) Bell. She attended school in Wessington Springs and after struggling with physical issues in her childhood, she thrived in high school performing in plays, various thespian groups and writing for the school newspaper.

She attended business school in Huron, after graduation and worked for a time at the National Bank of Wessington Springs until she married Myron Kleppin on January 10, 1970, in a private ceremony in Huron. She often commented that was the day she came to understand life as a farm wife, since Myron nearly missed the ceremony because the January temperatures had the well for the cattle frozen solid.

Sherry was a member of Templeton United Church of Christ for more than 50 years and served as officer and volunteer with the ladies' fellowship, the Sunday school, and youth groups; always baking a pan of bars, setting up the coffee pots, or finding the construction paper for the next Bible School project; Sherry was the consummate church lady.  She also found time to volunteer for the PTO and the Band Boosters, to chaperone FHA, FFA, and music trips, all while helping Myron keep the farm running smoothly.

She was a 51-year member of the Community and Family Extension Leaders (CFEL), having been part of the local Merry Mixers and Sing and Sew Clubs, and eventually taking on responsibilities for the state board in her retirement years. She served several terms as various state officers, including President, and travelled the state fulfilling those responsibilities.

After they retired, Sherry and Myron dedicated their time and resources to restoring the Wessington Springs Opera House, helping to bring the building from a nearly condemned state to the vibrant theatrical show piece that it is today, and continued to serve as board members once it was ready for performances. If Sherry wasn't busy in the ticket office or making popcorn, you would find her leading the SACOTA (Springs Area Council of the Arts) meetings arranging various artists and musicians to come to the Opera House.

Despite countless hours of volunteering, Sherry was most content with a yarn project on her lap. Although she learned embroidery and other stitch arts, knitting and crocheting were her passion. Her grandmother taught her to knit and crochet as a child and it was a skill she carried with her until her last days, finishing two baby blankets to ship out of state just days before her passing.

Sherry is survived by her two children, Toby Kleppin (Lynette) of Long Valley, SD and Kerrie Kleppin-Winn (Mark) of Omaha, NE; two grandchildren, Neil Kleppin and Megan Poyer of Woonsocket; and several cousins, nieces and nephews and their children.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Gary Bell; and her husband, Myron.