Sarah Ruth Klinefelter, 78, of Branson died Saturday, January 21, 2017. A celebration of life service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Branson, Missouri on Saturday February 4, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Sarah Ruth (Stephens) Klinefelter was born January 30, 1938 in Des Moines, Iowa to Mary (Adams) Stephens and Edward J Stephens. Sarah attended William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri in 1956-1957 and transferred to Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa where she acquired her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1959. She then attended the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa where she achieved her Master of Arts in English, Speech, Drama and Educational Administration in 1968.
Sarah received specialized training as a Fellow in the Institute for the Management of Lifelong Education, Harvard University, in 1984; Fellow in the Executive Management Institute, University of Wisconsin in 1987 and attended Sabbatical Study in Fund Raising and Institutional Advancement at George Peabody College, Vanderbilt University 1991-1992.
Her teaching career began at Carl Sandburg High School, Orland Park, Illinois as the Chairman of the Speech Department from 1959 to 1964. She then became Chairman of the Humanities Division at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills, Illinois from 1964-1968. Sarah became Division Dean at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from 1969 to 1978. It was here that she met Neil Klinefelter, and they married on December 11, 1971 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Neil and Sarah moved to Branson, Missouri in 1978. Sarah became a Professor at College of the Ozarks and taught courses in English, Public Speaking, Communications, Humanities, Commercial Music Business and History of the Broadway Musical. In 1989 Sarah was named Division Chairman, Division of Performing and Professional Arts at the College of the Ozarks and remained there until her retirement in 2001. Sarah also acted as the General Manager of KCOZ-FM from 1986-1989. Sarah worked from 1985 to 2014, for the Elderhostel Organization as Program Coordinator, Program Developer, and Lead Instructor, teaching enrollees about “Branson Show Biz” along with developing “Branson Kids”, a multi-generational program about Branson. She was active in the Taney Hills Community Library, and many other organizations in her community.
When Sarah married Neil, she inherited four children. Marsha Royer (Greg) of Green Valley, AZ; Denise Belford of Little Rock, Arkansas; Sheila (George) Pirtle of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Brian (Kim) Klinefelter of Fairfax, Iowa; ten grandchildren, Danica, Ezra, Chelsea, Charles, Josh, Gideon, Amanda, Justine, Emily and Jared and many great-grand children.
Sarah was preceded in death by her parents, sister Mary, and her loving husband Neil Klinefelter.
Sarah loved Neil, her students, her wonderful friends, her family and Branson. She would not have lived anywhere else. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Taney Hills Community Library, 200 S. Fourth Street, Branson, MO 65616, in her honor.