Cletus Pladsen

Cletus S. Pladsen, 73, of Waukon, IA, died Monday, May 26, 2014, at Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital in Decorah, IA. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 30th, at 1:00 PM at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waterville, IA, with Pastor Ken Kimball officiating. Burial with military honors will be at the church cemetery. Friends may call from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Thursday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Cletus S. Pladsen was born October 2, 1940, at his parents' home in rural Waterville, IA; he was the son of Wallace and Ruby (Moen) Pladsen. He graduated from Waukon High School and from 1960-1966, served in the National Guard. On July 14, 1963, Cletus married Ruth Ann Gavle at Big Canoe Lutheran Church in Decorah, IA. Cletus made his career in the meat industry. For 27 years, he was a meat cutter for Ozzie Quandahl at the Red Owl (later the Waukon Food Ranch). From 1988 until he retired in 2013, Cletus worked at Agriprocessors in Postville, IA, as a meat cutter, trainer, and as the head of security. He also spent his life living and working on his family's farm.

He was a 4-H leader for the West Ridge Riders, and also taught Sunday school at St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon. Cletus loved woodworking and mowing his yard. He loved John Deere tractors, and enjoyed taking his family on yearly tractor and wagon rides around the Patterson Creek area. Cletus also took trips around the country on motorcycles with his brothers and sons. Mostly, he loved his family very much.

Cletus is survived by his wife Ruth Ann of Waukon; five children: Faye (Martin) Halverson of Lansing, IA, Dawn (Russ Breazeale) Motis of Cedar Rapids, IA, Jeff (Julie) Pladsen of Shellsburg, IA, Kim (John) Hagemann of Cedar Rapids, and Brent Pladsen of Cedar Rapids; eleven grandchildren: Jake (Amber), Matt, and Ethan Halverson, Lauren Motis, Danisha, Faith, Alex, and Jesse Pladsen, and Aubrey, Paige, and Nichole Hagemann; four brothers: Roger (Sandy) of Waterville, Gary (Lorrie) of Waukon, David (Mary Ann) of Vinton, IA, and Kenneth (Yvonne) of Virginia Beach, WV; sister Rosie (Ben) Caldwell of Newton, IA; sister-in-law Tess Pladsen of Waukon; three brothers-in-law: Vernon (Sandy) Gavle of Decorah, Burton (Emma Thompson) Gavle of Decorah, and Ronald (Bev) Gavle of Waukon; and his dogs Sam, Charlie, and Brutus (deceased).

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Arlyn Pladsen; two grandchildren: Joseph and Jacqueline Pladsen; brother-in-law David (Norma) Gavle; and sister-in-law Kathryn Gavle.

Honorary casketbearers are Tom Baxter, Pat Curtin, Herb Dehli, Earl Haas, Alan Johnson, Kirk Johnson, Nicholas "Nick" King, Corey Martie, Al Quandahl, Ozzie Quandahl, Shawn Rodenberg, and Laura Roney. Casketbearers are Cletus's grandchildren.