John Kleckner

John Kleckner of Fredonia, formerly of Port Washington, a beloved husband, dad and grandpa, passed away peacefully on Sept. 26, 2025, at Anita’s Gardens in Grafton. He was 81 years old.

  He was born on Dec. 20, 1943, in Port Washington, Wis., the son of Peter and Anastasia (nee Strauss) Kleckner. 

He grew up in Belgium and attended Port Washington High School, graduating with the Class of 1962. 

After high school, John went on to serve his country honorably in the U.S. Army.

On Oct. 4, 1969, he married Kay Theisen at St. Mary Catholic Church in Lake Church.

John dedicated his career to the HVAC contracting industry as the owner and operator of a successful business, Ryan Heating. John’s work ethic and commitment to excellence won him the admiration of both colleagues and customers alike.

He was a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Newburg and the Belgium American Legion Post 412, and was a proud supporter of Pheasants Forever, reflecting his deep love for nature and the outdoors. He was also a former member of the St. Peter of Alcantara Men’s Club. 

An avid outdoorsman, John found joy in hunting and fishing, activities that allowed him to connect with friends and family. He was well known for his competitive spirit, especially when it came to playing cards. His grandchildren will fondly remember him for teaching them the ins and outs of Uno, often leaving them in his wake. A fervent fan, he cheered passionately for the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers, creating countless memories around the television on game days.

John is survived by his wife Kay, his three children, Ryan (Heidi) Kleckner, Megan (Jason Forsberg) Kleckner and Mara (Matthew) Lemmon, and 11 beloved grandchildren, Leia, Stephen (Indy), Johnathan, Jacob, Samuel, Abigail, Amelia, Allison, Zachary, Joselyn and Natalie.  

He is further survived by his siblings Delmar, Francis (Betty), Barbara Barrett, Daniel and James, brother-in-law Herman Feyereisen, nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Rosemary Feyereisen, Roman Kleckner, Virginella (Roman) Gonwa and Agnes (Alois) Huiras and brother-in-law Joe Barrett.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at Divine Savior Parish, Holy Cross Chapel, 5330 County Hwy. B in Belgium. Father Neil Zinthefer will preside over the Mass.

A visitation for friends and family will take place at the church on Friday, Oct. 3, from 3 to 5:30 p.m.  

He will be laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Little Kohler.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to VeteransAgainstAlzheimers, a veterans organization helping veterans with Alzheimer’s disease (www.usagainstalzheimers.org),  or the Alzheimer’s Association  (www.alz.org).

Eernisse Funeral Home, Port Washington, is honored to serve the Kleckner family.  

Online condolences may be left at www.eernissefuneralhome.com.