Glen A. Klotz, 69, of Dunkirk, NY, died at home surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, following a brief illness.
A graveside ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 22, at Sunnyside Cemetery in Sorento, and a celebration of life will be held in Borger, TX, on July 29, 2023. Perfetti-Assalley Funeral Home in Sorento is in charge of local ceremonies.
Mr. Klotz was born May 5, 1954, to the late Orville and Norma (Cameron) Klotz in Belleville. His family lived in Sorento, until his high school years, when they moved to Hillsboro, where he graduated in 1972. He attended Greenville College, but working with his hands was what he wanted to do most.
He and his family moved to Borger, TX, in the late 1980s. He was a skilled machinist and mechanic and was shop manager at DISCO in Borger for most of his 40 years there, retiring in 2018. There really wasn’t anything he couldn’t do or make. He was brilliant and ingenious and was well respected in the Texas Panhandle gas and oil industry. He loved radio control planes and was an avid RC pilot with the local Black Sheep Squadron RC Club in Borger. He loved to play and watch golf; he and Denise had the privilege of attending the 2022 Masters Golf Tournament on a practice day. He loved home improvement projects, but he mostly enjoyed working on classic cars. He restored a WWII Ford Jeep and was working on his retirement project car restoration, a 1954 Ford Victoria, “Vicky.”
In 2008, he and Denise Murray, his “Neasie,” met online, and their love story began with him as her “captain.” The two were married Sept. 15, 2010, in Borger, TX, and shared the same anniversary as Glen’s parents. Upon retirement, Glen, Denise, Lucy, Sissy, and “Vicky” moved to Denise’s hometown of Dunkirk, NY, fulfilling a promise he had made to her when she moved from Dunkirk, NY, to Borger in 2009. They spent the next five years renovating their mid-century home, including a Captain’s Cave for his “Vicky.”
Mr. Klotz was a proud past member of the Kiwanis Club of Borger, TX, and especially enjoyed helping with hands on projects such as building handicap accessible ramps for those in need.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Denise (Murray) Klotz; a daughter, Lisa (Ramiro) Rodriguez of Borger, TX; a son Trevor (Patty Copelin) Klotz of Borger, TX; a stepdaughter Katie (Phil) Lombardo of Bemus Point, NY; grandchildren, Marissa “Rissa,” Jordin, Ramiro, Isaac, Mackenzie, Braylee and Rayna, all of Borger, TX, and Alexandria, Camden, Adri, Maddox, Connor and Brody of Bemus Point, NY; great-grandchildren Cecelia “Cece,” Bella, Eyan and Aiden of Borger, TX; brothers Don (Jean) Klotz of Edwardsville, Ron (Linda) Klotz of Sorento, Larry (Missy) Klotz of Largo, FL; sisters Judy O’Neill of Homosassa, FL; and twin sister Glenda Tyszko of Largo, FL; mother-in- law Alice Murray of Lakeland, FL; brothers-in-law Joe (Patsy) Triaga of Fredonia, NY; Bob (Donna) Murray of Westfield, NY; Dan (Lee) Triaga of Grovetown, GA; James Murray of Jamestown, NY; Cliff (Susannah) Denis of Wichita, KS; and John (Aleida) Denis of New Bern, NC; sisters-in-law Pat Newberry of Silver Creek, NY; and Trish Triaga of Williamston, NC; as well as several nieces and nephews, many of whom referred to him as the cool or fun uncle. Also surviving are his beloved felines, Lucy and Sissy.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Gary Klotz; sister, Janice Scott; infant nephew, Norman Whitlow; a stepson, David Wilkes; mother-in-law, Peggy (Persch) Triaga; and fathers-in-law, James Murray and Joe Triaga.
The family requests memorial contributions be made to Borger Area Circle of Friends, P.O. Box 5654 Borger, TX 79008. Visit www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com to share memories or to offer condolences to the family.
