Francis Eugene Klozar

Following in his father's footsteps, he enlisted in the US Air Force. He trained as a radar technician and served in Louisiana and Alaska until his military career was cut short. He was honorably discharged with a severe disability sustained after a multi-ton transformer fell from a tower and crushed his spine.

The physical trauma imparted a perpetual tilt and distinctive gait for the rest of his life, yet he beamed positivity with a confident, booming laugh, sharing disarmingly quirky, colorful stories, both real and imagined.

While living on McDill Air Force Base in Tampa, he amassed a collection of classic and notorious vehicles, ranging from a 1964 Chevrolet Impala convertible, a 1965 Pontiac GTO, a 1964 Chevrolet Corvair to a 1975 Cosworth Vega. The latter of which he drove from Louisiana to Alaska on the infamously rugged Alaskan Highway.

Gene spent a decade as a long-haul truck driver based in Cleveland, Ohio. His much younger brother, Mike, a safety obsessed private pilot, credits his brother for teaching him how to drive and imparting thoughtful safety practices.

Gene proudly attended C.M. Russell High School in Great Falls, Mont., followed by a final year at Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida. In the late 1990's, he moved to Spokane to assist his sick mother and studied engineering at Spokane Falls CC.

He found purpose in Spokane, where he relished his decade long volunteer service as a representative on the Riverside District Neighborhood Council. There he fought for the needs of a diverse and challenged urban population with a sharp focus on housing, safety and veterans' needs. Working with his dear friend Gary Pollard, he championed downtown "Cop Shops," to connect police to the community they served.

Science fiction consumed and inspired him. From Star Trek to Star Wars, he attended conventions, met actors and spoke fluent Klingon. He could discuss in detail the intricacies of Romulan, Federation or X-Wing spacecraft and the conundrums of time travel.

During his brother's wedding, he gave a speech that had the guests roaring with laughter. With genuine sincerity, he recounted misplacing his spaceship in a nearby K-Mart parking lot that day because he inadvertently left the cloaking device active, rendering it invisible.

Gene was instantly recognizable by his ubiquitous and distinctive well-worn cowboy hat featuring a gleaming chrome "Star Fleet" insignia.

His love for cars never subsided, but the last one stole his heart. His mother's canary yellow 1977 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham became his signature and a symbol of his love for her when she was taken too soon by complications of breast cancer. Touchingly, he referred to it as "Betty," after his mom, and cherished it to his final day. The distinctive car appeared in several feature films shot in Spokane.

Gene was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Elizabeth May (1995), Floyd J. (2008) and life partner Susan (2020). He is survived by his brother, Michael and his wife, Kathleen, of Seattle; his sister, Teresa Lamberson of Spokane; nieces Christy Lamberson of Spokane and Michelle Wilkins and her husband, Luke, of Seattle; and dear friend, Gary Pollard of Spokane.

Services will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. May 21st. All are welcome.