Cleora Reuscher Flegel
Cleora Reuscher was born in Ramona, Kansas, on June 5, 1918, to Emanuel Reuscher and Mary Reuscher (née Schnell) who were from Norka, Russia. In 1920, the family moved to Lodi, California, where she graduated from Lodi High School in 1936.
Cleora met Arthur Flegel and they were married in Lodi on April 27, 1940.
Settling in Menlo Park in March 1954, Cleora and Arthur co-founded Flegel's Home Furnishings, now under control of their son, Mark. In addition to the flagship Menlo Park store, there are Flegel's stores in San Rafael and San Ramon.
Cleora, more commonly known as Cleo, was blessed with a warm and winsome personality and easily made many friends.
Among her talents, Cleo's primary hobby, still-life oil painting, was a gift that will long keep her in the memory of her appreciative family.
With Arthur, she enjoyed membership in the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. As a result of several research trips to Germany and Russia, she was able to trace her ancestry back many generations to its places of origin. The Flegel's have made significant contributions to AHSGR over the years.
Arthur and Cleora Reuscher Flegel were major donors for the 1999 award-winning television documentary, The Germans from Russia: Children of the Steppe, Children of the Prairie. The documentary is available from The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection.
A videotape of the Oral History Interview Series: Arthur E. & Cleora Reuscher Flegel is also available from The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection.
Cleora Flegel died on April 21, 2009 in Menlo Park, California.
Settling in Menlo Park in March 1954, Cleora and Arthur co-founded Flegel's Home Furnishings, now under control of their son, Mark. In addition to the flagship Menlo Park store, there are Flegel's stores in San Rafael and San Ramon.
Cleora, more commonly known as Cleo, was blessed with a warm and winsome personality and easily made many friends.
Among her talents, Cleo's primary hobby, still-life oil painting, was a gift that will long keep her in the memory of her appreciative family.
With Arthur, she enjoyed membership in the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. As a result of several research trips to Germany and Russia, she was able to trace her ancestry back many generations to its places of origin. The Flegel's have made significant contributions to AHSGR over the years.
Arthur and Cleora Reuscher Flegel were major donors for the 1999 award-winning television documentary, The Germans from Russia: Children of the Steppe, Children of the Prairie. The documentary is available from The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection.
A videotape of the Oral History Interview Series: Arthur E. & Cleora Reuscher Flegel is also available from The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection.
Cleora Flegel died on April 21, 2009 in Menlo Park, California.
Sources
Obituary for Cleora Reuscher Flegel, San Francisco Chronicle, April 25, 2009.
The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection
The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia
The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection
The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia
Last updated March 14, 2021.