Alys Klapstein05/31/1920 – 03/03/2016 of Lodi
Lodi native, Alys Ethlyn Lucas Klapstein, passed 
away on March 3, 2016 in Oakland, CA. She was born to parents Rosalyn and Richard Lucas on May 31, 1920. The decision Alys made at 8 years of age to ask Jesus to be her Savior, formed the direction of her life. She and her family were members of Bethel Open Bible Church. Graduating from Lodi High with top honors in 1936 at age 16, she chose to pursue Biblical training at Bible Standard College in Eugene, OR. Her future husband Harvey Klapstein of Lodi, also graduated from the same school. They were married in Lodi in 1940. During their 60-year marriage, they served together in many types of Christian ministry. Alys always cared for others in her roles as a Bible College teacher and Dean of Women, missionary, pastor’s wife, and head of Open Bible’s Women’s Ministries on the West Coast. Alys was also a credentialed minister with Open Bible Standard Churches for 70 plus years.
In her retirement years, she founded two low-vision support groups in Fresno and Lodi, as the result of her life long vision problems. The Lodi chapter, Lodi Low Vision Eye Support, continues today. In recent years she continually built friendships in her retirement community in Oakland. At the top of Alys’ accomplishments was being a mother to her three daughters, and grandmother of 4 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. She always made every family member feel like he or she was her “favorite”. The number of people also touched by Alys’ life, love, and ministry are too numerous to count. She was truly one of God’s saints on earth, and must have had a grand welcome in Heaven!
Alys was preceded in death by her parents, husband Harvey, and brother Richard Lucas. Alys is survived by daughters Sallie Hausler of Modesto, Joyce Hall (Steve) of Dallas, TX, Sharon Morris (Dan) of Oakland, and heart daughter Artemisa Audifrez of Fresno, CA. Grandchildren are Anneliese Hausler-Akpovi (Joseph), Lynnea Wiratunga (Kumar), Aaron Hall, and Alyson Hall Steiner (Justin). Great Grandchildren are Lionel (Jessica), Giscard, Senna, Cica, and Inaya Akpovi, Grace and Hannah Wiratunga, William and Jackson Steiner, and great-great grandchild Leona Akpovi.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made online to two organizations that were dear to Alys’ heart: missions and eye support. Please follow the links to donate in Alys’ name to Little Flock Children’s Home in India (http://www.littleflockhomes.org/donate), or to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (https://www.macular.org/how-donate).
SERVICES
A celebration of Alys’ life will be held on Sunday April 10, 2016 at 2:30 pm in the chapel at Pacifica Senior Living (Formerly Salem Lutheran Home, 2361 E 29th St, Oakland, CA 94606). Please contact Sharon Morris (510-531-1753) if you plan to join us.