Claramae Lehman Klink

Claramae Lehman Klink, 95, left this earth peacefully on Thursday, April 21, from Greencroft Healthcare.

She was born February 28, 1927, in Castorland, New York, to Samuel and Clara Kennel Lehman.  She was the sixth child in a family of 13 children.

She attended Bethel College, Kansas, La Junta Mennonite School of Nursing, Colorado and graduated from Goshen College with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She earned her Master’s degree in School Nurse Teaching from Cortland State Teacher’s College, New York.

In June 1953 she married Charles Lee Klink on the Lehman family farm in Castorland, New York.  They met at the FFA Camp Oswegatchie where she was the nurse and he was the maintenance man for the summer.  They settled and raised their family in Gouverneur, New York, where they were both teachers.  Charlie died in 1991.  They were married 38 years. She took wonderful care of Charlie with his illness in the last two years of his life.  Claramae moved to Goshen in 1992.

Claramae loved to travel. She attended many Mennonite World Conferences.  With brothers and sisters, she visited India and China.  In Germany and France, they traced their family roots.  She went to Ethiopia to meet her adopted grandchildren.  While raising their family they traveled to National Parks across the country as well as many trips to Florida, the west and the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  She and Charlie constructed a family cabin themselves on Hickory Lake in northern New York that they both loved dearly that remains with the family today.

She loved to volunteer at Ten Thousand Villages in New York and Goshen, Oaklawn Auxiliary Board and Gift Shop, Goshen Hospice, Goshen College and Stephen Ministries.  As a couple they were Voluntary Service House Parents in Homestead, Florida, where they worked with immigrant children and developmentally disabled adults.

Her hobbies were reading, walking and spending time at their family camp at Hickory Lake, New York.  She was also part owner of the Lehman Lodge where her family still makes maple syrup.

Surviving are her children, Ann (Steve) Herendeen, Goshen, Dr. Chuck Klink, Richmond, Virginia and Dr. Paul (Kate) Klink, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; grandchildren, Benjamin Herendeen, Dustin (Yibei) Nafziger, Leah (Eric) Blosser, Nathaniel (Jenna) Klink, Jessica Klink, Jersalem Klink, Daniel Klink, Isaiah Fleming-Klink, Rachaelann (Bryce) Yoder Klink and India Fleming-Klink; and great grandchildren, Noelle and Tyson Blosser.  Also surviving are her siblings, Jim and Betsy Lehman, Gary and Alice Lehman and Jane Lehman, all of Goshen.  Lyle Lehman and Robyn Scharoun, New York, Janice Lehman, Pennsylvania and Bernice and Dewey Hostetler, Dolores Wedel, and Evelyn Lehman, all of Kansas.  She was preceded in death by a sister Ilene Adams and brothers, Ralph, Ken, Walter and Curt Lehman.

Claramae was a member of Waterford Mennonite Church and Bahia Vista Mennonite Church when she wintered in Florida.   She will be remembered for her charity, smile, gratitude to others and sense of humor. The gift she gave to the world was to be a thankful person.

Claramae and Charlie instilled in their children that the purpose of education was to serve others. It is no coincidence that their children became an educator, a psychologist and a physician.

There will be a family memorial service at a later date.

Memorial donations can be made to Mennonite Central Committee.

Here are some words from Mother Teresa

You will teach them to fly, but they will not fly your flight.

You will teach them to dream, but they will not dream your dream.

You will teach them to live, but they will not live your life

Nevertheless in every flight, in every life, in every dream, the print of the way you taught will always remain.

Yoder-Culp Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.