On March 27, 2020, Steven Michael Klink passed away at home surrounded by his family. He was predeceased by his father Henry Junior Klink and his mother Lois Lassen Klink. He was the beloved husband of Mary Klink; devoted father of Jesse Klink and his wife Allison, and Amanda Klink Victorino and her husband Erick; dear brother of Kim Klink and his spouse Angela, Lee Klink and his spouse Michelle, Kathleen Klink, Mary Hullfish and her husband Donald, and David Klink; Steve was brother -in-law of Shirley Kazmier, Marlene Soriano, Stephen Verboczki , and Robert Soriano. Loving grandfather of Finn, Macklin and Taegan Klink and Oliver Victorino; lifelong friend of Roger Herman, Tony Kroeger and Jack Basso; also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Steve grew up on a farm near Dysart, Iowa, the oldest of six children. Throughout his childhood, he was a great help to his dad and mom. He especially loved stacking hay and helping to coral his younger siblings. He graduated from Geneseo Consolidated School near Buckingham, Iowa. Upon graduation from high school, he was drafted into the US Army. He served as a radio teletyper. He was stationed in South Korea, near the DMZ.
After serving in the Army he attended college at the College of New Jersey (Trenton State), Ewing, NJ. where he met his wife Mary. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in American History and a Social Studies teaching degree in 1974.
Following his graduation from college Steven worked on his Master’s Degree in History at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Steve and Mary relocated to Northern Virginia in 1976 where he began his career at the Federal Aviation Administration as a Federal Civil Servant and continued to work at a number of Federal Agencies during his long career. He served as the Director of Personnel for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. for 15 years. Upon retiring from the Federal Government, Steve worked for a number of private consulting firms in the Washington, D.C. area before starting his own private consulting firm. Steve was loved and highly respected by all who had the pleasure of working with him.
Steve was a great man.
He was in every sense a man of action. He was generous, caring, and so incredibly smart. He loved his wife, children, grandchildren, friends and family. He always made sure we were taken care of and knew how much he loved us. He was hardworking and often quite meticulous. He had a way of figuring out what you were good at and helping you to build on those strengths, while also keeping you focused on your goals. He had the most amazing ability to make a friend or connection anywhere and with anyone. He was often the center of most parties and could be found by his hearty and boisterous laugh. His most used introductory line in conversation was “Where you from?” Steve traveled and worked in many places and almost always had some connection or interesting fact to share with someone he met. He was incredibly generous and willing to help you with any task.
Steve showed you his passion and care in everything he did. He was the most amazing gardener. He would continue to whittle away at the grass on his properties with more and more flower beds and we would often wonder if there was going to be any grass left. At his most recent property in Fallston, he became known in the neighborhood as the “butterfly man” because of all of his butterfly bushes and beautiful gardens. He tried fervently to keep the deer and bunnies away from his plants and garden, to no avail. Eventually he gave in to feeding the bunnies because he loved the look of joy on his grandsons faces at their sight, however brief.
Steve loved his grandchildren most of all. He loved to spend time with them and to spoil them with gifts and treats. He loved to rough house, to play soccer, and to read with them. Steve was a big kid at heart and he had an uncanny ability to pick out toys that his grandkids always loved.
Steve taught us the value of hard work and the money we earned. We all learned the skill of haggling and the importance of customer service from him. Steve had a constant desire for action and doing. He enjoyed life to the fullest. He loved to learn new things and had been taking Spanish language classes for the past few years. Steve also loved to read. He has an extensive book collection and had subscriptions to over twenty magazines.
Steve was diagnosed in 2020 with a rare form of blood cancer, myelodysplastic syndrome, and fought bravely to the end. He was taken from us too soon.
Steve loved his grandchildren more than he loved life. In keeping with his wishes, he requested that an educational fund for his four grandchildren; Finn Klink, Macklin Klink, Oliver Victorino, and Taegan Klink be established. Donations can be made payable to “First Clearing”. In the memo field of the check write “Steven Klink’s Grandchildren Education Fund”. Please mail checks to Mary Klink, 2416 Haddon Hurst Court, Fallston, MD 21047 and they will be forwarded to First Clearing LLC, (Wells Fargo).
A celebration of Steven’s life will be held at future date at the Schimunek Funeral Home in Bel Air, MD. 610 W. MacPhail Rd. Bel Air, MD 21014. A reception at his home will follow in Fallston, MD. Please check back for service information. Online tributes may be left at www.schimunekfuneralhomes.com
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