Stephen (Steve) King Klepper, 73, of Decatur, passed away Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Visitation will be held Monday, April 17, 2023, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church in Decatur, with the funeral service to follow at 1:00 p.m. The Rev. Minnie Bailey will officiate. There will be a private interment at Burningtree Memorial Gardens.
Steve is survived by his loving wife of 49 years Barbara Hogan Klepper, daughter Kate Cole (Carl) of Decatur, and grandson Stephen Wynn Cole. He is also survived by brothers-in-law Kenneth Hogan (Sue), David Hogan (Diane), and Danny Hogan (Carol), and a sister-in-law Dana Hogan Besherse (Jeff).
He is preceded in death by his parents, George Harding Klepper and Mary King Klepper.
Steve was born November 5, 1949 in York, PA. His family moved several times, living in North Carolina, Murfreesboro, TN, Cookeville, TN, eventually landing in Athens, AL where he graduated from Athens High School in 1967.
After high school he studied Business at Jacksonville State University, graduating in 1971.
Steve spent over 40 years in the insurance business. From working in the field to rising to District Manager, his career covered almost every aspect of the industry, the vast majority of which was spent with Cotton States Insurance, now Country Insurance.
He retired as a Litigation Specialist, where he handled upward of ten thousand claims. He was extremely well respected by the lawyers he dealt with, on both sides of the table, because of his friendly demeanor, fair and reasonable handling of his cases, attention to detail, and keen knowledge of insurance and the law.
A loyal employee of Cotton States/Country from the mid-1970’s until his retirement in 2013, Steve was admired by his co-workers for his work ethic, organizational skills, and humor. Multiple people, mainly attorneys, were hired to fill his shoes after retirement, showing his value to his employer and co-workers.
A devoted fan of the Tennessee Volunteers, and later the Auburn Tigers, Steve was a lover of sports. He was a fixture at Decatur High School sporting events for more than two decades. His greatest joy was watching his young grandson play ball, be it baseball, basketball, football, or soccer.
Steve passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at Huntsville Hospital Hospice Family Care. He will be missed by all who loved him, leaving and empty space in our hearts, and in the gyms and ballparks from where he cheered his favorite teams.
Serving as pallbearers will be Stan Lauderdale, Charlie Hough, Bill Hicks, Jerry Thrasher, Carl Cowart, John Haile, and Mike Garrett.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, 616 Jackson Street SE. Decatur, AL 35601.
