Gary Kling

Gary Henry Kling, 82, passed away suddenly on August 21, 2015 while visiting family in New Lisbon, Wisconsin. Born July 3, 1933 in Whitehall, WI to Hilbert and Gladys (Hanson) Kling, he spent his school years in Wisconsin. He graduated in Civil Engineering from UW Madison in 1955. He married his college sweetheart, Doris Zechel on June 18, 1955, recently celebrating 60 years together. They spent 46 years in Peoria, IL, where Gary received his Masters in Engineering Administration from Bradley University in 1966. He retired from Caterpillar Inc. after 33 years. His passion for the environment showed in his research on biodegradable oil for earthmoving machinery. Gary and Doris moved to Tucson, AZ for the next 12 years and, in August 2013, moved to Hoosier Village in Indianapolis, IN. Survived by his wife, Doris; daughters, Lisa (Don) Whetstone, Lauren (George) Kovac; grandchildren, Bri (Harry) Clark, Brendan Kovac, Kristin (Jordan) Kessler, Alyssa Whetstone; great granddaughter, Peyton Kessler; brother, Jon "Jack" Kling; sisters, Sharon Helmkamp, Kathy Harkner. Preceded in death by his parents and brother, Howard Kling. A man of faith, his first priority was always family and relationships. His wonderful sense of humor and likable personality won him a large circle of dear friends. Gary's selflessness and love of people are evident in his many philanthropic endeavors including Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Key Club, and tutoring of students. He was a sportsman at heart, and although he loved playing volleyball, tennis, and ping pong, his true passions were fishing and hunting. He was an avid photographer, documenting his family, friends, and extensive travel history. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Gary H. Kling and Doris R. Kling Engineering and Health Occupations Scholarship, Illinois Central College Foundation, One College Drive, East Peoria, Il 61635.