TORRINGTON – “When one project ends, you start another.” 

Susan Klemola, longtime Torrington resident and associate broker at Century 21 Valley Realty, prefers to be the person on the ground, getting her hands dirty, and working to check items off her lengthy to-do list.

In addition to her role in real estate – Klemola earned her real estate license in 1984, and broker’s license in 2005 – she is a member and past president of Torrington Rotary Club; member and past treasurer of the United Methodist Church; and board member and treasurer of Gracie’s Promise. She also fosters dogs and enjoys quilting.

“I just like keeping busy,” she said.

Klemola was born in Kimball, Neb., and her family moved to the area when she was two years old.

Her father, Hal Brethour, who had previously worked as a coach and teacher in Harrisburg, Neb., taught in the area before opening an insurance and real estate company, known originally as Valley Realty. Brethour, now 87, remains involved with the business as broker.

“I’ve just been blessed to be able to work with my dad,” Klemola said.

After graduating from Torrington High School, Klemola attended Eastern Wyoming College for computer programming. She soon accepted a bookkeeping position with one of her father’s companies.

“He had lots of companies of which he was a partner in (including concrete construction) … they lost their bookkeeper, and I said I’d fill in … it turned into a job for 30 years until they sold the company,” Klemola said. She also assisted her father with accounting work for Eastern Wyoming Construction and HalCo Construction, with which he built more than 250 residences in town, as well as commercial structures including the nursing home, First State Bank, the Platte Valley Bank addition, and more.

“He also built a house for my sibling (Sherry Kelly),” Klemola said, adding before Brethour retired, he completed structural framing on her and husband, Buck’s, new home – directly next to Sherry’s. Her husband designed and drew the plans and did the wiring and plumbing work. Always up for a project, Klemola assisted, in addition to painting and insulating.

“I make a better electrician’s helper than a plumber’s helper,” she said, laughing. “I left all the tile work for Buck to finish. We did everything we could to keep costs down. My husband says I’m a workaholic and a slave driver … it’s still a work in progress.”

When the Brethours first moved to Goshen County, they lived in a house on Monte Vista, which recently came up for sale and brought back lots of memories for Klemola, who hadn’t been inside the structure for 50 years.

“It was almost exactly the way it was when we lived there,” she said. “There was a full-sized playhouse; still a pink color with clocks my sister, Sandy (Schwartzkopf, who passed away due to breast cancer in 1979) and I drew with purple crayons.”

Now with three daughters and three grandchildren of her own – living in Saratoga, Cheyenne, and Arizona – Klemola said visiting her family is a source of great joy. She and husband, Buck, also hope to travel to Finland, where his ancestors called home, in the future.

“My dad taught me work ethic, and to surround myself with good people,” Klemola said. “My mom taught me faith – a belief in God … we’ve been blessed to have a really close family and do everything together.”