Ruben Helmuth Klaevemann

Ruben Helmuth Klaevemann of Uvalde, Texas passed away on January 9, 2024, in Uvalde at the age of 91. He was born on July 16, 1932, Orange Grove, Texas to Helmuth G. Klaevemann and Hedwig (Hattie) Schuldt.

He married Wilma Joyce Pool, November 22, 1962, in Mission, Texas. They were sealed for time and all eternity in the St. George, Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 8, 1972.

He attended elementary through high school in Orange Grove. He was a great athlete and played football, basketball, and ran track for the Bulldogs.

Ruben was the 52^nd employee of the natural gas company, Coastal States Gas Producing Company. He worked for them and subsequently the spin-off company, Valero Energy Corporation for 39 years. His first position was that as a gauger and retired as a construction foreman overseeing the building and maintenance of natural gas pipelines. While working in Uvalde as Area Foreman, he was honored as employee of the month.

He was a hard worker and known for working sunup to sundown. After a full day of working for Valero, he would come home and tend to his ranch where he raised everything from cattle, angora goats, chickens, and even emus. He always ensured pens were built and fences were mended so that his children always had a horse to ride or a pig, lamb, or goat to show at the Uvalde County Jr. Livestock Show each year.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing from a very young age and had been known to skip school quite a bit to go fishing. He carried this love into adulthood and found the time to always provide a good catch of catfish or backstrap for dinner. This was in addition to the summer gardens he planted where there was always plenty of tomatoes, okra, green beans, beets, squash, and cucumbers.

On the weekends, after a day of gardening, ranching, or building something, (he literally built his barn by hand!) he would take his kids swimming in the Frio River in Concan, Texas.

He served several years in multiple leadership and teaching positions in the Uvalde Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ruben is survived by his daughters, Kerri Shimp (Sterling) and Kelli Cheever (David); his sons Larry Holden (Peggie) and Jimi Klaevemann; grandchildren Karlee Wilmot (Eric), Kannon Shimp (Marina), Kessler Shimp (Jaden), Kassidy Lewis (Quinton), Joy Cheever, Colton Cheever, Steven Holden (Jennifer), James Holden, Douglas Murphy, Jr. (Beth) and great grandchildren Oaklee, Owen, Oliver, Andie, Miles, Alexis, and Christian.

Ruben is preceded in death by his wife, Wilma Joyce Pool, parents, Helmuth G. Klaevemann and Hedwig “Hattie” Schuldt; brother Erwin “Sonny” Klaevemann; sisters Jacqueline “Jackie” Sears, and Barbara Klaevemann.

Visitation will be on Friday, January 12, 2024, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary.  A graveside service will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Jones Cemetery, Utopia, Texas.   Burial will follow at Jones Cemetery with a reception afterwards at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 420 Ham Lane, Uvalde, Texas.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Uvalde Hospice or the Alzheimer’s Association.