Lena Klassy, age 97, of Brookings, formerly of Nunda, passed away Sunday, December 29, 2024 at the Brookings Health System.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with Father Anthony Urban as the Celebrant. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. on Friday at Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel and will continue on Saturday from 9:30-10:15 a.m. followed by procession to the church for mass. Burial will be in Lake Madison Lutheran Cemetery. Online register book is available at www.rustandweilandfuneral.com. The funeral will be livestreamed on the funeral chapel Facebook page. Arrangements are entrusted with Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel of Madison.
Natalina Flourence Pizzirusso was born December 25, 1927, to Mauro & Lenilda (Cerbara) Pizzirusso. She grew up in Nanticoke, PA and graduated from there in June 1945. Following graduation, she went to work for the Navy Department in Washington D. C. She met Robert Klassy there and they were married June 1, 1946. They moved to Madison in July 1946 and later moved to the Hemre farm by Nunda in March of 1953. In 1958, they moved to Frank Kirkwald farm, which they actually bought and they remained there until retiring in July 2004, when they moved to Madison. Lena loved to make mints & crochet.
She served nine years on the Rutland School Board and was a member of St. Thomas Church and Nunda Legion Auxiliary.
Lena is survived by her children, Sandra (Lowell) Christensen, Debra (Keith) Bettes, Jon (Dawn) Klassy, Susan (Bob) Darrah and Tim Klassy (Lindsey Johnson); ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bob; son, Bobby; two sisters and three brothers.
