Joseph Herman Klocker, 84
Waite Park
Feb. 23, 1930 – Aug. 5, 2014
Joseph Herman Klocker, 84, Waite Park, died Aug. 5, 2014 surrounded by his family, at the St. Cloud Hospital. His funeral was held Aug. 9 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, St. Cloud. Private burial was in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery, Little Falls, Minn.
Klocker was born Feb. 23, 1930 in Cold Spring, Minn. to Joseph J. and Mary Catherine (Fink) Klocker. He married Patricia A. Gohman on Nov. 8, 1956 in St. Cloud. He was employed as a heavy-equipment operator for Megarry Brothers from 1946-1951. From 1951-55, he served in the U.S. Navy. He then was employed by Barbarossa and Sons for 34 years, retiring in 1993. He was a member of Holy Spirit church where he was involved in many activities including Bouja sales. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #428 of Waite Park and Eagles Aerie #622 of St. Cloud, and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49. He also volunteered his time with the Red Cross.
Survivors include the following: his wife; daughters, Laurie (Joel) Vogel of St. Joseph; Kim (Keith) Schoenecker of Savage, Minn.; Theresa “Terri” (Steve) Dolphin of Mineral Point, Wis.; Jackie (Marc) Paulson of Menomonie, Wis.; son, Brian (Mary Koshiol) Klocker of Clearwater, Minn.; daughter-in-law, Lynn Klocker of Robbinsdale, Minn.; sisters, Agnes Mockenhaupt of St. Cloud; Francis Thiss of San Diego, Calif.; and brother, Donald Klocker of Taylors Falls, Minn. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren who lovingly referred to him as JoeJoe.
He was preceded in death by his son, Mark Klocker on Aug. 7, 2007; parents; three brothers, Clarence, Sylvester and Irvin Klocker; and four sisters, Lucille Klein, Alvina Maehren, Marcella Smith and Isabella Peschl; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Peter and Isabella Gohman.
The family would like to thank the staffs of St. Cloud VA Hospital, St. Cloud Hospital 5th-floor Oncology, Heartland Hospice, Sterling Park Health Care Center and St. Benedict’s Senior Community for the loving and compassionate care they provided for our husband and dad in the last months of his journey.
