Mr. Donald Wayne Kluge, Sr's Obituary
Donald Wayne Kluge Sr. went home to be with his Lord and Savior Thursday, June 30th 2016, he was 85 years old.
Don passed peacefully in his sleep. He was preceded in death by his son Tim Kluge in 1983 and is survived by his loving and caring wife Nina Kathryn Kluge, his two sons Tom Kluge, Donald Kluge Jr. and his daughter Kelly Benthal.
Don was blessed with 10 grandchildren, Theresa Hainsworth, Tom Kluge Jr., Tim Kluge, James Kluge, Joseph Kluge, James Murillo, Devahn Reed, Shilo Benic-Kluge, Syvannah Butler and Christian Kluge. Don was blessed further with 12 great grandchildren.
Don served his country for 23 years, in three branches of the military the United States Navy, The Marine Corps a decorated combat veteran Korean War, and finishing his service with the Air force, managing the Dental Laboratories and finally developing the Ocular and facial prosthetics departments at March AFB.
Upon retirement in 1970 he established Kluge Dental Laboratory in San Bernardino and Kluge Ocular and Facial Prosthetic Clinic, also in San Bernardino. He served the medical community as an ocularist and anaplastologist for 50 years and was a proud member of the American Society of Ocularists until his retirement in 2004.
He was a gifted and accomplished Jeweler with many family, friends and customers still wearing his creations today. He loved antiques and collectables so much that he opened Times Past Antique shop in San Bernardino, and he enjoyed the auctions and estate sales.
He was a man of Faith, when he was struck with cancer in 1998 he “made a promise to the Lord that if he survives this he would pay it back”. Upon recovery he started his Mission trips to Mexico to provide prosthetics, artificial eyes, limbs and dental prosthetics at no charge to the people that needed his help.
Don Kluge enjoyed people, he loved his patients, he loved his friends, he never met a stranger rich or poor, he loved to help people, he LOVED a good joke, he loved to laugh and mostly he loved his Family…especially his wife Kathy.
One of Don’s favorite sayings was “if you want to kill time…WORK IT TO DEATH!”. Don wasn’t much for resting, instead he did a lot with his life and he accomplished a lot with it.
He will be deeply missed, but greatly remembered, though our hearts are heavy let us rejoice knowing that he is with our Father in Heaven. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday, July 7, 2016 at Bobbitt Memorial Chapel, 1299 E. Highland Ave. San Bernardino with interment at Mt. View Cemetery of San Bernardino. Condolences may be sent to Donald’s Memorial Page, please visit www.bobbittchapel.com
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