Gerald W. Klopp

Mr. Gerald Klopp, currently of Wautoma, formerly of Port Washington and Tomahawk, passed away at Community Memorial Hospital in Wild Rose on Sunday morning, November 2, 2014. He was 90 years old. Gerald was born in Port Washington, WI on November 11, 1923, son of Albert and Adeline Klotz Klopp. Gerald graduated from Port Washington High School in 1941. After working on Lake Michigan as a commercial fisherman, he served in the US Maritime Service during WWII from 1943 to 1946, often sailing in the dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. On August 17, 1946 Gerald was united in marriage with Phyllis Haseley Klopp at St. John's Lutheran Church in Port Washington. The couple settled in Port Washington where they raised their family. A few years after the war he joined his brothers in Klopp Brothers TV Sales and Service. Gerald also worked for over 20 years with General Motors until retiring as the Oak Creek Plant Fire Marshal in 1980. Gerald and Phyllis moved to Tomahawk to enjoy 30 years of retirement and then relocated to Mt. Morris to live with their daughter Carol due to health concerns. Gerald enjoyed serving his community as Scout Master of Boy Scout ...[more]

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op 8 of St. John's Lutheran Church and, after retirement, as president of the Spirit Reservoir Association. As a member of the Tomahawk Fishing Unlimited, he especially loved making lures as fishing contest prizes for children. A believer in hard work and self-reliance, Gerald kept busy with do-it-yourself building projects and mechanical repairs. He was a self-taught jack-of-all-trades who would freely give his time to any friend in need of help with a home project. He found great pleasure in tending a large garden and canning the vegetables it produced. He also enjoyed fishing, sudoku puzzles, his pet dogs, and watching TV shows about polka music and steam engine trains. Gerald was a loving husband and father who was happy to share the good life "up north" with his family. His children will always treasure memories of the horse drawn sleigh rides that he arranged for their mother's birthdays. During the final year of Phyllis's life, he remained her faithful companion with visits in the nursing home every possible morning and afternoon. Throughout their 68 years of marriage, Gerald and Phyllis maintained many life-long friendships and found more new friends while living in the Tomahawk area, especially among their congregation at Grace Lutheran Church. Gerald is survived by their four children: Roger (Mary) Klopp of Stoughton, Paul (Victoria) Klopp of Port Washington, Carol (Gary) Frank of Mt. Morris, and Stuart (Monika) Klopp of Alma, CO, eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He is further survived by sisters-in law Mildred Klopp of Port Washington, Doris Klopp of Duluth MN, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Phyllis, sisters Margaret Quale, Delores Paltz, and Joyce Klein, their spouses Franklin Quale, John Paltz, and Oscar Klein, his brothers Wilbert Klopp, Albert Klopp, and Ralph "Red" Klopp, and his sister-in-law Betty Klopp. The family will receive visitors at Eernisse Funeral Home, 1600 W. Grand Avenue in Port Washington on Thursday, November 6th, from 6PM until 8PM and Friday morning , 10AM - 11AM. Funeral Services will follow at 11AM on Friday with Rev. Mark Ziemer from Grace Lutheran Church in Tomahawk WI officiating. Gerald will be laid to rest beside his wife in Union Cemetery, Port Washington directly after the service. Memorial donations are suggested to Lutheran World Relief.