Mary Celeste Klebba

Mary Celeste (Leary) Klebba, age 96, died on November 30, 2023, at her home in Linn. 

She was born in Jefferson City, on September 11, 1927, to George Arthur and Pauline (Motschenbach) Leary, the third of three daughters.  She attended St. Peter Elementary School and graduated in 1945 from St. Peter High School (now Helias Catholic High School), Jefferson City.  She then attended Mount St. Scholastica College (now Benedictine College), Atchison, Kansas, graduating in 1949 with a BA in Sociology. 

After college, Mrs. Klebba taught at Beattie High School, Beattie, Kansas, Nerinx Hall in Webster Groves, Mo. and at Fatima High School in Westphalia. 

Celeste married John H. Klebba at St. Peter Catholic Church on August 7, 1954.  After her marriage, she retired from teaching and became a full-time mother and homemaker, raising eight children, although for many years she served as a substitute teacher at St George Catholic Grade School in Linn.  She also volunteered as coach of the school’s speech teams and taught high school CCD classes for St. George Catholic Parish.   Celeste was an active member of St. George, as well as St. Ann’s Sodality and the Osage County Historical Society.

She is survived by seven children: John (Lisa) Klebba, Linn; Michaeline “Mickey” Klebba, Dallas, Texas; Peter Klebba, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin; Dr. Peggy (Brian) Conley, Jefferson City; Molly (Kurt) Forge, Overland Park, Kansas; Patty (Chris) Hunter, London, England; and Tom (Shelley) Klebba, Linn.  She is also survived by a son in law, Mark Van Dyke, Shawnee, Kansas, 21 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. 

Mrs. Klebba was predeceased by her husband, daughter Karen Van Dyke, her parents, and both of her twin sisters, Jane Riley and Jean Waldron. 

Visitation will be held at St. George Catholic Church in Linn on Thursday, December 7, 2023, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. George Catholic Church on Friday, December 8, 2023, at noon, with interment following at St. George Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy are suggested to St. George Parish School, 613 E. Main, PO Box 49, Linn, Mo.  65051. 

Arrangements are under the direction of Morton Chapel, Linn, Missouri (897-2214)

www.mortonchapel.com