Donald Allan Klute, age 97, of Bradshaw, NE passed away Wednesday, January 28, 2026 in York, NE.
Visitation with family will be at Zion Lutheran Church on Sunday, February 1, 2026 from 5-7 p.m. Funeral Services will be on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, followed by burial at Plainfield Cemetery, west of Bradshaw. Lunch to follow the burial at the Bradshaw Community Center. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.
Donald Allan Klute was born October 3, 1928 to Arthur Henry William Klute and Lorraina Helena (Miller) Klute on a farm near Bradshaw, Nebraska, and was the third of four children. Don was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in rural Hampton. He attended parochial school through 8th grade and graduated from Bradshaw High School in 1946.
Don served in the Army during the Korean Conflict from April 1951 to April 1953. Upon his return, he married Janice (Brumbaugh) on May 30, 1953 at Zion Lutheran Church, Hampton. The couple lived on a farm just north of Hampton for two years. In 1955, they moved to a farm near Woodburn, Oregon. There they had two children: Barbara and Steven. They returned to York in 1960 where Don worked for Tietmeyer Welding.
A year later, on April 1, 1961, Don opened Klute Welding in Bradshaw with Janice serving as the bookkeeper. Don often fired up the forge in the early morning hours to pound out plow lays, sweeps and cultivator shovels. He made hog crates, cattle chutes, bin jacks, anhydrous three-wheel fertilizer trailers and grain elevator equipment. Don also installed grain boxes and hoists on farm trucks.
Don and Janice enjoyed traveling around the United States, to Europe and China, attending Supper Club and Nebraska football games, and dancing at the Flying V Ballroom. Don’s waltz step was as smooth as his welding bead.
Janice died on April 7, 1995. Don continued to work at the shop. In later years, he became the “runner” to T & L Galvanizing, made coffee, and shredded weeds. On November 27, 1998, he married Evelyn Joseph at Zion Lutheran Church. The couple enjoyed traveling and attending grandchildren’s events. Evelyn passed away on August 29, 2009.
Don was a guest on the Korean War Honor Flight to Washington D.C. in 2014. He went to Canada many times to his brother Dennis’s cabin, and they enjoyed fishing together. Don also went to Dennis’s home in Peoria, AZ each spring where the two went to spring baseball games.
Don is survived by his children Barbara (Loren) Wroblewski of St. Paul and Steven (Kimm) Klute of York, Nebraska. He is also survived by seven grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren: Jordan (Kelsey) Klute, Dean, June and Jack of Omaha, NE; Mikala (Matt) Marshall of Lexington, NE; Breean (Mitch) Ludwig, Sullivan and Andersyn of Olatha, KS; Lauren (Dusty) Jazwick, Cora, Callan and Caroline of Columbus, NE; Greg (Traci) Wroblewski, Reagan, Tate and Lane of St. Paul, NE; Dan (Alyssa) Wroblewski, Whitney & Bentley of Wellington, CO; Beth (Taylor) Hencey, Greyson, Carson & Bryson of Chadron, NE. He also leaves behind brother-in-law Cody (Judy) Brumbaugh of Hampton, NE, stepsons Jan (Ann) Joseph, Jerl (Deb) Joseph, and many nieces and nephews.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, wives, and siblings: Dennis (Ardell) Klute, Lowell (Rose) Klute and Margaret (Marvin) George, and Janice’s siblings: Charles Brumbaugh, Vernelle Kirk, Calvin Brumbaugh, Carroll (Pete) Brumbaugh, Clay Brumbaugh, Cecil Brumbaugh, Clifford Brumbaugh and Leone Tracy.