Irma M. F. Klatt

Irma was born April 23, 1915, in Elmore Township, MN, to William and Emma (Schimmel) Klatt.Due to the illness of her father, the family, including her sister Luella, moved to Blue Earth in 1920.She was baptized on May 13, 1915 by Pastor F.J. Oetjen of Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Blue Earth. She was confirmed on June 2, 1929 by Pastor Gerhardt Schmidt at St. Paul Lutheran Church, where she remained a member to the present. She enjoyed participating in church activities. She was a Sunday School teacher for 25 years, member of the Walther League, Choir, LWML, Altar Guild, Martha Guild, Centennial Book Committee, congregation secretary, as well as various other committees.She attended and graduated from Blue Earth Public Schools in 1933. She completed a year in the Blue Earth Teacher Training Department in 1934 and began her teaching career in several Faribault Co. rural schools. Irma served as the Assistant County Superintendent of Schools from 1941 to 1948. For the next 38 years she worked as a teacher, administrator and counselor in the Blue Earth Public School as well as a part-time counselor at the Elmore Public School for 10 years. Throughout the years, many evenings, Saturdays and summers were spent continuing her educational growth and in earning her masters degree in education from Mankato State University in 1960. Irma retired in 1984, concluding 50 years in service to education.Her participation in community activities included serving on the Blue Earth City Police Commission, the Library Planning Committee, United Fund Board, Blue Earth Education Assistance Fund, American Field Service, Faribault County Historical Society Board of Directors, Blue Earth Community Education, Chamber of Commerce, St. Lukes Auxiliary and United Hospital Auxiliary.In 1987 she was named Women of Achievement by the members of the Alpha Alpha Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society. She was awarded a similar Women of Achievement honor in1990 by the Mitchell Chautauqua Circle. Also in 1990 the Blue Earth Sertoma Club nominated Irma for the Service to Mankind Award and the AAL Branch 810 selected her for the 1990 Volunteer Action Award. In 2005 the Minnesota Valley Action Council chose Irma for the Roger Wolf Achievement Award.Irma is survived by many relatives, former students and friends.She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister- Luella Klatt.