Walter Kluge

surrounded by his loving family. Walter was born to Karl Walter Kluge and Katie Bohling

Kluge in Jersey City, NJ. He had an older sister Francis Kluge Formella( Sarasota, FL)

who predeceased him. Walter grew up helping out in the family German Delicatessen.

Walter met the love of his life (Gisela) at a dance in NJ. They married in 1951 and had 2

sons, Carl W. Kluge(deceased 2020), and Roy Kluge(living). Walter served in the

National Guard in New Jersey for 5 years before getting an honorable discharge to care

for his mother who had Parkinson's disease. Just married, he and Gisela took on the

care of his parents to the end. Walter was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner and

devoted his life to helping others. Walter worked at Nabisco, the famous cookie and

snack maker in Fairlawn, NJ where he was a machinist. After 25 years at Nabisco, he

retired and like most of us in the Northeast packed up and moved to Florida, settling into

Sarasota. While in Sarasota Walter (and Gisela) became advocates for the mentally ill

serving various positions on the board of NAMI as they advocated for their son Carl who

had Schizophrenia and manic depression, this became their lifelong passion. Due to

services not being available for Carl, Walter, and Gisela researched many state

programs before making the move to Matthews, NC in 1994. Once here Walter found a

Program that would assist them in the care of their adult son. They joined St. Luke’s

Lutheran Church on Park Rd. and were instrumental in running a successful Drop-in for

the mentally ill where they could come in and get a hot meal, shop the food pantry

sponsored by Loves and Fishes, and get some clothing, but more importantly, get the

much-needed love and praise and encouragement that is usually deficient in the lives of

the mentally ill. Like in Florida, Walter (and Gisela) joined NAMI of Charlotte where they

put in countless hours of helping families who were trying to navigate the system

through support and teaching Family to Family at St. John’s Baptist Church on

Hawthorne Lane in Charlotte. Walter was given a few awards for his dedication to the

mentally ill. Getting up in years, Walter looked for a church closer to home and found

Morning Star Lutheran Church where he made many friends and joined many of the

church groups. One of the groups Lutheran Men in Motion, honoured Walter for his

many years of service. Walter leaves behind his wife Gisela, 73 years of marriage, a

son Roy, and his wife Karen (Spooner) Kluge, and their two sons Michael, and

Christopher Kluge. He leaves behind many friends and acquaintances as he enters

eternal peace in heaven. He will be missed but not forgotten.

A visitation for Walter will be held Monday, October 28, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Morning Star Lutheran Church, 12509 Idlewild Rd, Matthews, NC 28105, followed by a celebration of life from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.