Johnye Lou Kleine

Funeral services for Johnye Lou Kleine, 83, were held at the First United Methodist Church of Clifton on Friday, October 13, 2017, with Rev. Mary Gean Cope and Tony Hall officiating. A graveside service was held at the Clifton Cemetery.

Johnye Lou Kleine was born on March 10, 1934 in Clifton, to Ernest Henry Schumacher and Thelma Neel Schumacher. Her battle with cancer and Parkinson’s disease came to an end at the Lutheran Sunset Ministries on October 9, 2017 when she went to be with the Lord.

Johnye’s first job was working at the Corner Pharmacy soda counter and this is where she met the love of her life, Melvin Kleine. They were married in the First United Methodist Church of Clifton on July 25, 1952. They were able to celebrate 56 loving years together as husband and wife and were blessed with three children.

Johnye went on to attend Clifton College and following graduation was able to start her lengthy career in banking. Her career began at Farmers State Bank of Clifton where she performed almost every function of the bank, including bookkeeper, teller, proof operator, retail lender and consumer banker. She worked under six bank name changes and five different bank presidents. After 40 years of banking service, she decided it was time to move on and spend some quality time with her family. On April 29, 1994, she retired from Nations Bank leaving behind a legacy of having helped almost everyone in the community. After a brief retirement, Johnye returned to the banking business once again. She went to work at First National Bank thinking it would be only for a short period of time and stayed for 12 more years. She retired for the last time in February of 2008.

Johnye was a long time member of the First United Methodist Church and member of many community organizations. She enjoyed collecting dolls and beanie babies, cuddling with her two dogs (Ladybug and Princess), and watching Texas Rangers baseball games. Her favorite pastime was spending time with her children and grandchildren and the happiest times of her life were whenever all of her family was together.

Johnye was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother. Anyone who visited her house could clearly see how proud she was of her family. Every space in her house was covered with pictures of her family and family mementos. She was known to her grandchildren as “MiMi” and loved each one dearly. She was a beautiful lady with a heart just as beautiful as she was. Johnye was well respected by everyone she came in contact with and developed many friendships throughout her years. She will be greatly missed but we are so grateful that we have the wonderful memories to hold on to.

Johnye was preceded in death by an infant brother, Jerome Schumacher, her parents, and her husband, Melvin Kleine. She is survived by her three children, Jerry Kleine and wife, Lori of Clifton, Randy Kleine and wife, Leanne of Nacogdoches, Shelley Kleine Harris and husband, Clark of Fort Worth; six grandchildren, Ashley Kleine of Dallas, Emily Kleine of Austin, Kendall Kleine and wife, Cassidy of Temple, Taylor Kleine Lindsey and husband, Justin of Dunnellon, Florida, Megan Harris Densmore and husband, Thomas of Wichita Falls, Justin Harris of Fort Worth, and one great-grandchild, Kylar Kleine, (K.K.) of Temple.

Clifton Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.