Clara "Kootch" M. Kinnett

To spend a couple of hours with Clara “Kootch” Kinnett is to get a gentle reminder that people really cannot be stereotyped, especially senior citizens. Kootch for many years served as an ambassador at Lasata Care Center, welcoming every resident who moved into Lasata Care Center. When a resident was sick or dying, Kootch was there to hold their hand. On Tuesday, August 1, 2017 someone else was holding her hand as she died peacefully at the age of 101 years at Lasata Care Center. Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, August 13, 2017 at 4:00pm at Grace Lutheran Church, 715 6th Avenue in Grafton with Rev. Paul Bulgerin officiating. Visitation will be held at church on Sunday from 1:00pm to 3:45pm. Burial will be private at Woodlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Grace Lutheran Church or Lasata Activity Fund appreciated. For online condolences please visit www.muellerfuneralhome.com. Special thanks from the family of Kootch to Drs. Hong, Nazareth, Torkelson and the entire staff at Lasata Care Center. Clara was born on Monday, April 24, 1916 in Cicero, Illinois, the daughter of the late Jacob and Christina (nee Borg) Bulthuis. She was the sixth of fourteen children and was the first in her family to reach the age of 80. She married Marion “Ken” Kinnett who has preceded her in death in 1997. They were blessed with two girls, Sharron and Karron, hence the double consonants which represents the fact they are twins. Nearly two decades after leaving Illinois, she was still a devoted Chicago Cubs fan. When the Cubs finally won the World Series for the first time since 1945, Kootch put on her robe on her cubs cap and went down the hall to visit the staff, the residents were all in bed but the next morning she wore her cubs cap at breakfast with a huge smile. Kinnett’s social nature, coupled with her need to organize things, resulted in the creation of numerous clubs and activities over the years. Kootch was an amazing person, just an Angel. Clara is the loving mother of Sharron Berman and Karron ( Steve) Stockwell. Proud grandmother of Bob (Lisa) Aiken, Lora (John) Brewster, Stephen (Maria) Stockwell, Susan (Steve) Fortier and Jim (Tracy) Stockwell and great-grandmother of Caiti, Sarah, Jake, Daniel, Hannah, Ella, Julia, Sagar, Carmen, Joe, Evan, Narayan, and India Rose. Further survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.