John William Kline

Fr. John Kline was born and raised in suburban Philadelphia. Active throughout high school as both an athlete and a musician, he graduated from West Chester University (1955), where he majored in brass and voice.

In 1959 he graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg with a M. Div. degree, later earning the S.T.M. degree from the same institution. He served pastorates in Bittinger, MD and Lancaster, PA prior to entering the Episcopal Church.

After a year of orientation in the “Angilcan Ethos” at the Philadelphia Divinity School, he was ordained Deacon (April, 1965), and then Priest (August, 1965) by the Rt.. Rev. Harvey D. Butterfield, Bishop of Vermont, and was called to be Rector of St. John’s Church, Randolph, and Christ Church, Bethel, VT, where he discovered himself preaching before the retired Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, The Most Rev. Arthur C. Lichtenberger, D.D. Returning to Pennsylvania, Fr. Kline served as Rector of churches in Williamsport, Sunbury, and Sharon. While at St. Matthew’s, Sunbury, he became active in the healing ministry of the Church, was made a Chaplain in the Order of St. Luke the Physician, and led healing missions in the Dioceses of Central and Northwestern PA, and Pittsburgh.

While serving as the Rector of St. John’s, Sharon, PA, the Rt. Rev. Donald J. Davis, bishop, appointed Fr. Kline to be his Archdeacon, with oversight of seventeen mission congregations. Four years later, he was called to The Church of the Ascension in Bradford, PA, from which he retired in 1997, after serving 14 years as Rector.

While in the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Fr. Kline served as secretary, and then president of the Standing Committee for nineteen years, and was eight times elected a Deputy to the Triennial Convention of the Episcopal Church, where he served on the Music (Hymnal Revision) and Canons Committees. He was also the Diocesan Ecumenical Officer, and in 1995, the bishop, The Rt. Rev. Robert D. Rowley, conferred on him the honorary title of “Canon Ecumenist”, in recognition of his long-standing work for Christian Unity at the diocesan, state, provincial, and national levels of the Episcopal Church.

Following retirement in 1997, Fr. Kline and his wife moved to Plano, TX in the Diocese of Dallas. With permission of the bishop, the Rt. Rev. James M. Stanton, D.D., Fr. Kline served as interim priest at St. Matthias, Athens, and at the Church of the Ascension, Dallas. In 1999 he was appointed (part-time) Priest Associate at the Church of the Holy Nativity in Plano, where he also served as interim priest in 2003-04, then returning to his position as Priest Associate until the fall of 2022.

Fr. Kline is survived by his wife of 67 years, the former Jane E. Beeghley, of State College, PA.,

three children, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, all in the greater Dallas area.

The Funeral Service for Fr. Kline will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2022 at 10:30 AM at the Church of the Holy Nativity, located at 2200 18th Street - Plano, Texas - 75074.

Following the funeral service will be a reception at the church.

A burial service will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2022 at 2:15 PM at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas where Fr. Kline will be laid to rest.

Ted Dickey Funeral Home in Plano, Texas has charge of arrangements.