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Georgie Klevar

| Spring 2026 Inspire(d)

Probituary: A Notice of Life! Georgie was interviewed by Inspire(d)'s Benji Nichols

In 1970, Georgie Klevar moved from Minnesota to Decorah with her husband, Harvey, when he was offered a job at Luther College. While Harvey fulfilled his life’s work as a professor, Georgie filled the following 55+ years with countless work, family, volunteer, and public roles serving others in our region. “After we moved to Decorah, I heard about a group of women in Decorah who were giving out clothing to those in need, so I volunteered to help them and ended up on the first Depot Outlet Board,” she says. “When I returned to work, I had childcare, but there was another fantastic group that had talked about the need for childcare and we formed the first Sunflower (Child Care Center) at West Side School in the summer. There have been so many that have made this organization into what it is today.”

From her early days as a mom to Leah and Rachel, Georgie, now 84, did not shy away from being a valued part of countless boards and organizations, all while launching into a career of her own at NICC in adult education. As she “retired” from her professional career, her volunteer work with the boards of RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program), the Oneota Food Cooperative, Habitat for Humanity, the Decorah Food Pantry, Immigration Working Group, and more only increased. Giving back has been at the core of much of Georgie’s work, but she is very clear about one thing: “I’ve been in Decorah 55 years, and during that time I’ve been involved in several volunteer projects and serving people – but I’ve always received more than I’ve given. I’ve always worked alongside dedicated and caring people – never alone, and that reflects on the quality of people here.”  And while she may have been a Minnesota girl from the start, she’s the first to tell you, “It turns out I couldn’t have been happier here.” 

What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?

It came from my dad, who didn’t exactly give advice – more directives. “I think you should be a teacher.”

How about the worst?

Also from my dad, “You don’t need to take typing.”

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I assumed I’d be a mother and a homemaker, but I would teach a few years and then settle in. It turns out I did teach, and got married, had my first daughter but soon realized I still needed to be involved in the bigger world, and education was always my interest.

What do / did you do? I’ve always been involved in teaching of one kind or another. When I graduated from college, I got a job teaching at Regina High School in the Twin Cities – a Catholic Girls High School run by a group of very innovative nuns, and that group taught me how to be a great teacher. They mentored me and that’s how I really grew to love teaching. I taught all levels of high school history, and that really sparked my interest in American Government and History, and my love for Politics. Government functions through politics! 

When we moved to Decorah I became a teacher at North Winneshiek, and then in 1972, I found an opportunity at NICC (then called Area 1) in adult education. I was responsible for hiring part time teachers to work with adults to attain their GED, via President Johnson’s war on poverty. We also then trained teachers to work with non-English speakers for the six-county area, and I learned a lot through that process. I taught the teachers, so to speak, and there were lots and lots of wonderful, dedicated part time teachers. 

Through the years my supervisor encouraged me to get my masters in Adult Education, which I did, eventually becoming the community college’s Director of Continuing Education, supervising all sorts of non-credit activities from real estate to salon. 

As it turns out, I retired in 2000 and became an almost full-time volunteer (and still needed to type!). Of the many things, I also began volunteer tutoring adults through the Immigration Working Group. Mostly what I figured out was that immigrants didn’t have time or childcare to go to classes, so I would sit at kitchen tables and help people study to get their GED or citizenship. I mention this not because of myself, but because this group has been so quietly caring for immigrants here in Northeast Iowa for many years. 

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?   

A book written by a friend of ours – Dr. Joseph Everson, “The Vision of the Prophet Isaiah: Hope in a War-Weary World”. 

Chocolate Covered Almonds. 

A recording of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”.

Try to describe yourself in one sentence.

Hard working, organized, and friendly.

If you could eat anything every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Chocolate.

Name one thing you could not live without.

Phone calls with my four wonderful grandkids.

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