Bradley Dean Kliewer

Bradley Dean Kliewer was born January 30, 1963 in Overland Park Kansas. He died peacefully on November 9, 2022 at Cascade Creek Memory Care.

From an early age Brad was a very curious child. He loved animals and cared for puppies, gerbils, white mice, butterflies, birds, seahorses and to his mothers' chagrin even snakes. After reading about honeybees he added bees to the menagerie and provided the household with a plentiful supply of honey.

He lived in Overland Park Kansas in his early years then in Saint Joseph Missouri, before moving to Rochester, Minnesota while he was in high school.  Brad was involved in many activities during his school days at Central High School in Saint Joseph, MO and John Marshall High School in Rochester, MN including playing trumpet, dungeons and dragons, model rockets, and SCUBA diving. He graduated from John Marshall high school in Rochester, Minnesota in 1981.

Brad attended Goshen College in Indiana where he worked in an x-ray crystallography lab and reprogrammed equipment to more efficiently map the atoms on silicon crystals. His love of music and animals led him to his wife. At the conclusion of his junior year at Goshen, he married Suzanne Dyck. He graduated from Goshen College with a major in physics in 1985.

Brad spent the majority of his adult life in Minnesota with the exception of moving to Bloomington, Indiana for Sue to earn a masters degree in music. Brad had family experiences in Newfoundland and so Sue and Brad added several Newfoundland dogs to their household over the years.

Brad's greatest joy was being a father and supporting his children in their range of interests. Avery, his youngest daughter, participates in Circus Juventas.  Brad volunteered his time during the performances to help with rigging. When Rory was little, he enjoyed taking her to the park to launch model rockets.  He loved spending time with his family and dogs hiking in northern MN. He participated in numerous marathons and triathlons. His sister-in-law, Jennifer Dyck, made a quilt from his many t-shirts representing the events he participated in. He was an eternal optimist and often said he had a mild case of Alzheimer's. He astounded all of us by completing a marathon after diagnosis.

Brad loved anything to do with technology, whether it was puttering around with all the computers and phones or working on automating the sprinklers in the yard. Brad loved to have discussions with family members, whether it was about theology, politics or technology.  He really enjoyed engaging in conversations.

Through the years Brad worked as a computer consultant, magazine editor, and authored several technical computer books including co-authoring a book with his father. At the end of his career he worked for McKesson in IT.

Brad was a member of Mayflower UCC church in Minneapolis and an avid participant in the Contemporary Theologies class. He was deeply concerned about social justice issues and served on the board of Helping Paws, an organization that places dogs with people in need of a service dog.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents on both sides of the family, his father-in-law, Cornelius J. Dyck, and mother-in-law, Wilma Regier Dyck. He is survived by Suzanne Dyck Kliewer, and his daughters Aurora (Rory) and Avery, his parents, Henry and Rose Kliewer, brother Wes (Kathy) and sister Cheryl (David), nephew Aaron, niece Mika, sisters-in-law Mary Dyck and Jennifer Dyck, niece Claire Dyck, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Cascade Creek Memory Care and St. Croix Hospice provided excellent care for Brad in his final days.

Support from Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, MN and many friends and neighbors was greatly appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, family requests donations to Helping Paws https://helpingpaws.org/donate/and to Mayflower UCC. You may also donate to any charity of your choice.

Interment will be at Prairie Oaks Memorial Eco Gardens in Eagan, Minnesota. A memorial service will take place at Mayflower UCC in Minneapolis at a later date.

Arrangements entrusted to SUMMIT Funeral & Cremation

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