When she was asked to fill in as a teacher at the Little Lambs Preschool at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Karin Klaustermeier thought it would be a temporary arrangement.
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When she was asked to fill in as a teacher at the Little Lambs Preschool at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Karin Klaustermeier thought it would be a temporary arrangement.
Seventeen years later, it has become her ministry and a labor of love as she has touched the lives of hundreds of children through the preschool, as well as her 22 years as a bus driver for the Warren County R-III School District.
Jeremy Klaustermeier, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church and Karin’s husband, spoke about her dedication, and the effort that she puts in for all the children in her care.
“She gets up at 4:30 to drive the bus, then she comes here for preschool, then she goes home and takes a nap for an hour or so, eats lunch sometimes, then she goes back and drives the afternoon,” said Jeremy Klaustermeier.
He pointed out that even outside of her duties with the preschool she shows up on Saturdays to prepare for the week, teaches Sunday School and helps to manage the church’s vacation bible school as well.
He credited her for being a big part of the preschool’s success as one of the church’s most important works. He also pointed out her impact as just last week he held dinner with the church’s graduating seniors, four out of the five of which were former Little Lamb students.
“Little Lambs has been a huge blessing to our congregation and it is our main evangelism work too,” said Jeremy Klaustermeier. “So it’s our way into the community, and Karin’s the bridge.”
Sharon Dieckmann, a church member who nominated Karin Klaustermeier as a Hidden Hero, wrote “there are many children in Warren County who owe their school success to her tender love and care and guidance.”
Karin Klaustermeier was thankful for the opportunity to impact so many lives and wanted all the kids she has worked with to know she enjoys being a part of their childhoods and “(making) moments that are special for them.”
Her time as a bus driver has been just as rewarding, and Karin Klaustermeier remarked she hoped she could have been a light in some of their lives.
She said in her time as a bus driver she has done everything from helping with homework to being an ear for children going through particularly difficult times.
Although she cannot preach to children as a bus driver the way she would at the church, she said she still tries to provide the same compassion that Jesus would when they come to her with issues.
“(There were) kids who said they were going to kill themselves and you know you were there at the right place, at the right time, to help somebody,” said Karin Klaustermeier.
She said she’s driven the bus for so long now she has been lucky enough to drive two boys whose mothers rode her bus while they were pregnant with them.
“Some kids, when things are pretty crazy for them, it’s nice to be that morning person that says hello to them and gives them a greeting that might be their first nice words of the day,” said Karin Klaustermeier.