Alan William Franklin Kline Sr.

Alan Kline was born March 15th, 1926, to James and Ethel Kline. He grew up in Camden, NJ, where he attended Mickel Grammar School, Hatch Jr. High, and a year at Camden High School, before he left for Camden County Vocational School to learn mechanical drafting. After his father agreed to sign the enlistment papers, Alan joined the US Navy on March 13th, 1944, just two days shy of his 18th birthday. While in the Navy, Alan served as a Fireman First Class on the U.S.S. Enright DE 216, a destroyer escort which was used in defense against enemy submarine attacks. Alan served in the Navy and traveled the oceans around the world until his discharge on May 20th, 1946. At the age of 20, discharged from the

Navy but with training as a mechanical draftsman, Alan bought a used 1936 Dodge to get him to his new job as a draftsman at the Riverside Metal Company, working in their watch case manufacturing office.

One evening in August of 1946, Alan decided to tag along with his co-worker who was going into Philadelphia to register for Fall term at Drexel University. Although he had never thought about attending college before, he decided to give it a try. Over the next eleven years, Alan worked full time as a draftsman while attending college at night three nights a week, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel in June, 1957.

Alan met Teresa (Terry) Francis Chapman in 1947 at a Catholic dance, where despite their awkward introduction as Alan failed to impress Terry, they danced all evening long and then began to date. They married in June of 1948, and they began their family in Camden, NJ. After having four boys and a girl while Alan was working and going to school, they moved to Berkeley Heights, NJ for Alan to start his job as a mechanical engineer at Lockheed Electronics Company. Alan was an active and involved father supporting and participating in all his kids’ school and extracurricular activities.

After sending all of their kids to college, Alan and Terry retired to Jekyll Island, GA, and renovated a house on Old Plantation Road. While Alan was always artistic; drawing, cartooning, woodworking and forging iron came easily to him; it wasn’t until he retired on Jekyll Island that he took up pottery, and began to experiment with sculpture. He and Terry lived an active and busy life on Jekyll Island for many years before Terry passed away suddenly in April of 2005. Although he never quite got over losing Terry, he still had many years left on Jekyll Island perfecting his pottery, and staying busy and active on an island he loved. Alan was an active and involved member of the Jekyll Island Pottery Guild for his entire time on Jekyll Island, participating until he passed away on January 18th.

Alan Kline Sr. is survived by three sons: Alan Kline, Jr.; Michael Kline; Joseph Kline; and his daughter Jeannie Mayjor; their spouses, six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by Terry Kline in 2005 and his son Patrick Kline in 2013.

A memorial will be held on February 6th at 10 AM at Tribuzio’s Grille, 322 Captain Wylly Road, Jekyll Island, Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Jekyll Island Pottery Guild relocation fund at PO Box 13201 Jekyll Island, GA 31527.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.edomillerandsons.com for the Kline family.