Ken Kleinke
May 21, 1947 - April 5, 2024
Ken Kleinke, 76, passed away Friday, April 5, at his Anthem, AZ home.
Ken is survived by his wife of 55 years, Cheryl Lynn (Lee) Kleinke; a daughter, Krista Kleinke Serdar, of Anthem, AZ; a son, Todd Kleinke, of Carmel, IN; Grandsons, Jason Serdar, Luke Serdar, Max Kleinke, and Henry Kleinke; a sister, Ann Kleinke Saba, and brother-inlaw Mark Saba, of Chandler, AZ; a sister, Sue Kleinke Meyne, and brother-in-law, Rob Meyne, of Las Vegas, NV; a sister-in-law, Mary Ellen Kleinke, of Georgetown, IN; a niece, Laura Meyne, of Las Vegas, NV; and a nephew, Alex Kleinke, and his partner, Cole Parker, of Louisville, KY. He was preceded in death by his mother, Laura June (Berger) Kleinke; his father, Frank E. Kleinke; and his brother, Greg Kleinke.
Ken Kleinke was born May 21, 1947, in Plymouth, IN. He graduated from Plymouth High School in 1965. He stayed in touch with many of his classmates throughout his life.
He graduated from Indiana University in 1970 with a degree in microbiology and taught high school for two years. He then moved on to a lengthy and successful career at Johns Manville. He retired after 32 years with the company. Most recently, he was the Midwest and Southwest regional manager. He previously worked as quality control manager, territory manager, product manager, and regional sales manager for the Midwest and Southwest regions.
Ken was a member of the Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Anthem, where he and Cheryl lived for ten years. They volunteered in the community, delivered meals, and worked in the parish food pantry. They previously lived in Scottsdale for twelve years.
Ken was a friend to everyone he met. People were drawn to him because of his genuine warmth, dry wit, and infectious laugh. Ken made every gathering special just by being there.
An accomplished photographer, the Kleinke home is decorated with dozens of his photos. He was a lifelong car buff and boating enthusiast. But his greatest passion was family. Ken was involved in the lives of his children and grandsons, cheering at football, hockey, and soccer games, attending concerts, and even passing on the technique for tying the perfect Windsor knot.
For those fortunate to have been his friend or relative, the passing of Ken Kleinke leaves a gap that can never be filled.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Anthem, where there will be a memorial June 1.