Emil Joseph Kluck Jr.

Emil Joseph Kluck Jr. passed away quietly on Wednesday, October 15, 2014 in Everett, Washington. His life will be celebrated with a gathering to pray the Rosary on Friday, October 24th at 5:30 pm at Langevin-Mussetter Funeral Home in Yakima. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, October 25th at 9 am at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Yakima.

Born in Yakima, WA, to Emil Joseph Kluck Sr. and Mary Rose (Chott) Kluck in 1926, Emil traveled far and wide in his lifetime. He spent his early years in Aurora, NE. These were the Depression years, and his dad was fortunate that his Uncle Joe Hoffman helped to get a job at the Farmers Union Creamery. Emil had great respect and admiration for his parents’ work ethic and care for their family. Emil’s love for the Cardinals can be traced back to his many trips to St. Louis to visit the Chott relatives.

Emil was very active growing up and he and his brother had many adventures. They lived in an era before television, FM radio and such, instead they played the classic games of Kick the can, Punch the icebox, and Marbles. Climbing trees, making slingshots, reading Big Little books, hunting and playing with the neighbors were their entertainment. Emil often reminisced about all you could get for a nickel in those days and how you always got a voice when you picked up the telephone receiver to call someone. He loved the simple life of his youth.

Raised by good Catholic parents, Emil participated in the Catholic church throughout his life. He served daily Mass at the small St. Mary’s church in Aurora and Father Campo was a great inspiration to him. Emil attended catechism, Bible school and sang in the choir at St. Mary’s and later in life at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Yakima. Emil also served as an usher with the three Leos at St. Paul’s and was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus.

Emil was involved in everything as a youth. He played football and basketball, sang in a boys’ quartet, was in the Chemistry Club and Dramatic Club and was class president his freshman and sophomore year. He was active in Boy Scouts and became a life scout. He graduated from high school as Valedictorian in June 1944 and was soon drafted by the Navy to serve in World War II. Emil was raised to the rank of Quartermaster and spent time on the USS Amsterdam and the USS Jupiter in the Pacific campaign. His Navy adventure took him to Pearl Harbor, China, Japan, Guam, Saipan and around this country. He was present in the bay of Japan on the historic day when the treaty ending the war was signed.

After serving his country, he quietly returned home in 1946 and completed his college education at the University of Nebraska, graduating in the top 10% of his class, making him forever a Cornhusker. Emil started his career in banking in Lincoln, NE and accepted a job at the Seattle First National Bank in Yakima. He met Mary Helen Gray at the St. Paul’s young people’s group in 1952 and they married on June 20, 1953. They raised four children together. Emil made friends wherever he went and would often play cards with other couples who became lifelong friends. In 1967, Emil moved the family to Ellensburg. In April 1970, Mary Helen passed away.

In 1971, Emil met his second wife, Joan Morrissey, as she interviewed for the principal position at St. Andrews School in Ellensburg. They were married in May 1971 and after moving to Yakima, added two more children to the family. He started a new career in insurance and worked with New York Life until his retirement in 2005.

Emil will always be remembered for his love of family and friends and his sense of humor. He accomplished much in his life and was generous to those around him. Emil is survived by his wife of 43 years, Joan, his brother James (Mary Jane), his sister Rosemary (Robert), his six children: Karen (Bruce) Bowden, Susan (Ron) Elliott, Brian Kluck, Mark (Cris) Kluck, Michael (Renee) Kluck and Christy (Dusty) Arenson, his seven grandchildren: Adley (Danielle) Bowden, Thomas Elliott, Ashley (Chris) Sharp, Angela Elliott, Evie Kluck, Cormac Arenson, and Holly Kluck, and one great grandchild, Grayson Bowden as well as many dear cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Emil Kluck Sr. and Mary (Chott) Kluck, his wife of 16 years, Mary Helen (Gray) Kluck, his son, Emil John Kluck, and his sister, Kathy (Kluck) Sebesta.

God saw the road was getting rough, the hill was hard to climb. He gently closed your living eyes and whispered “Peace be thine.” Lonely is the home without you; life to us is not the same. All the world would be like Heaven if we could have you back again. Good was your heart, in friendship was sound, loved and respected by all around. To a beautiful life came a sudden end. You died as you lived, everyone’s friend.