Kenneth Klinger

Kenneth D. Klinger, Ponca City area Rancher and Farmer, passed October 27, 2015 at the AllianceHealth Center in Ponca City after a lingering illness. He was 82 years of age.

Kenneth was born June 2, 1933 in the Autwine Community, West of Ponca City. He was the son of August T. Klinger and Thelma May (Harden) Klinger. Kenneth attended rural schools and was a 1952 graduate of Ponca City High School. He was married to Shirley Pagel on September 1, 1956 and to this union were born two sons, Ricky and Gary.

He enlisted in the United States Army in 1953 and was assigned to boot camp at the Fort Sill Army Base in Lawton. After boot camp he was sent by ship from New York City to Germany. He was then assigned to the Bad Kreuznach Army Base in Germany. He was trained on the first M65 Atomic Cannon, which required a front and rear specialized tractor driver. Kenneth was trained as the rear drive. His battalion wanted to see if they could cross the Rhine River with the M65 by laying pontoons across the river. With Kenneth as rear driver they crossed the Rhine with no problems.

After his tour of duty in the Army Kenneth worked in the oilfields and in January of 1956 he began working for Nickles Machine Shop. In 1971 he began farming full time. The couple had dairy and stock cows, laying hens, sold eggs, raised rabbits for sale, sold alfalfa hay, raised wheat and finished hogs for butchering.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley, of the home; his two sons, Ricky Klinger and wife Grace, of Newkirk and Gary Klinger and wife Suzy, of rural Marland; two sisters, Doris Craycraft and husband Don, of Davenport, Oklahoma and Wanda Morgan, of Ponca City; nine grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren; other extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Richard Klinger and Doug Klinger; three sisters, Vivian Klinger Tipton, Linda Klinger Danner and infant Thelma Ruth Klinger; brother-in-law Richard "Dick" Morgan and sister-in-law Gladys Klinger.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, November 6, 2015 at Grace Memorial Chapel with Chris Short presiding.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Lung Research, 825 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104.