Gerald Klug

Gerald W. Klug, 76, of St. Joseph, passed away Thursday, August 9, 2007 at Lakeland Regional Hospital with his loving family by his side. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Tuesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 619 Market St., St. Joseph with Rev. Michael Roth officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery. Friends may call from 5:00 until 8:00 P.M. Monday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or Trinity Lutheran School. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Klug was born September 14, 1930 in Benton Harbor to Ferdinand & Elizabeth (Wenzlaff) Klug. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church. Gerald attended Trinity Lutheran School and graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1948. On July 1, 1951, he married the former Catherine L. Rossow at Trinity Lutheran Church. Gerald worked for two years at V-M Corporation before joining his father in the family business, F.H. Klug & Sons Heating & Air Conditioning, in St. Joseph. His work was his life, spending the next fifty-four years doing what he loved, until just recently when his health prevented him from working any longer. He was a long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church where he sang in the choir, served on the finance board and the board of trustees. Gerald truly cherished the time that he spent with his family. Gerald is survived by his wife of fifty-six years Catherine; four children-Thomas G. (Pam) Klug of Stevensville, Deborah S. (Kurt) Ashworth of Butler, IN, James M. (Johna) Klug of St. Joseph, Catherine A. (Albert) Vossler of St. Joseph; six grandchildren-Michelle Klug, Matthew Klug, James (Tara) Ashworth, Derek Ashworth, Laura (Nick) Frye, Bert Vossler; two brothers-Robert (Elsie) Klug of Watervliet, Edward (Shirley) Klug of St. Joseph; and three sisters-Doris (George) Hultgren of Michigan City, IN, Lorraine (D.W.) Derfelt of Las Vegas, NV, & Eleanor (Herb) Milnikel of Stevensville. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers-Norman & Martin Klug.