Wayne J. Kling

Wayne J. Kling

TOMAH - Sergeant First Class Wayne J. Kling, US Army Retired, age 77, of Tomah, WI, passed away March 18, 2022. He was born January 30, 1945, to Edwin and Theodora (Kleinertz) Kling in Trenton, New Jersey and was raised in Tomah, WI. His father was born in Wilton, WI and met his mother at Fort Dix, New Jersey while serving in the Army.

Wayne graduated from Tomah High School in 1963. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tomah. He proudly served his country in the United States Army for 30 years, four months and 13 days. Wayne was previously married during the course of his life to Jennie Ruth Matherly, Sherry Jacobs, Nancy Carol Kelderman, Edith Murrel North and on April 25, 1983, he married his late wife, Patricia Louise Rieder.

Wayne enlisted in the US Army on June 26, 1963, and took his basic training at Fort Knox, KY. After basic he was assigned to Company C 1st BN 6th infantry at Fort Hood, Texas 1st Armored Division. On December 24, 1964, he was sent overseas on a ship to St. Nazaire, France and on May 4, 1965, he was transferred to the 522nd QM Company (Sup Dep) at Idar-Oberstein, Germany. During the Cold War, he was in Berlin, Germany, visiting family when the wall was built. One of the happiest moments in his life, was to see the wall come down in 1989.

He was honorably discharged from the Army on May 3, 1969. He then worked at the Tomah VA Hospital as a nursing assistant for some time before deciding to move to Madison, Wisconsin where he went to work as a nursing assistant and security officer at various places. He also attended the University of Madison and La Crosse, Wisconsin. He re-enlisted in the US Army Reserves on August 23, 1980, as a medical specialist and received a diploma from Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. He was assigned to the 289th Med Det. 44th General Hospital Reserve Center in Madison, Wisconsin, as an ambulance driver for the unit. In 1982, he returned to Tomah to work at the Veterans Hospital as a nursing assistant while still in the reserves.

Wayne went back on Active Duty on October 6, 1986, as a supply sergeant with the 273rd OD Company Ammo in Perry, Florida and in November of 1992 he was transferred to HHC, 99th Signal BN in New York as a supply sergeant and on November 1, 1996, he completed training to become a locomotive operator for the 1152nd Transportation Company in Milwaukee, WI.

Wayne retired from the US Army on February 1, 2005, at Fort Knox, KY. He was assigned/stationed throughout his military career in WI, FL, GA, NY, TX, OK, AZ, MN and overseas.

Wayne's interests included volunteering for veteran's organizations, preserving the History of Tomah, genealogy, collecting military memorabilia, writing, and photography. He was a member of the American Legion, the DAV, Son of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, the Tomah German Club, Monroe County Historical Society, Actor and member and historian of the Area Community Theatre in Tomah. He was involved in 60 plays and had leading roles in Wait until Dark in 1986, All American in 1988, All My Sons in 1991 and Arsenic and Old Lace 1998. He also did five Shakespearean plays – Othello in 1993, Twelfth Night in 1995, the Tempest in 1995, The Comedy of Errors in 2000, and Hamlet in 2002. Wayne served as the Vice President, past Secretary and Board member of the Tomah Historical Society and Museum. Following his retirement from the Army he worked for the Ho Chunk Nation at the casino in Tomah as a security officer and also for the Monroe County Sheriff's Reserve. He was currently working at the Challenge Academy at Fort McCoy, WI. Wayne was appointed Alderman on May 5, 2016, for District 7, Wards 13 and 14 for the City of Tomah until April 16, 2019. Wayne sat on 6 city committees and had been a familiar candidate for various public service positions over the years. Wayne was elected Alderman and served from 2016-2019. Wayne was united in marriage to Jeanne Carter on July 25, 2020, in Stoddard, Wisconsin.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; his children: Christian Wayne Kling of Tomah, WI, Lisa Vanessa Putnam of Golden, CO, Dustin Rieder Nicholson (Stepson) of Tomah, WI, Jessica Louise Klinge of Chicago, IL, Richard Hamlet Klinge of Tomah, WI and Jacqueline Marie Klinge of Tomah, WI; one grandchild, Christian Wallace Kling of Mellen, WI; a brother, Dean (Jean) Whitney of Berrien Springs, MI; niece, Michelle Romashko and grandnephew, Brixton Romashko, Grace Nye, Nicole Roseberry, Betsy McCray, cousins: James Klinge, John Klinge, Joe Klinge, Andy Klinge, Aaron Klinge, Tom Klinge, Jenna Klinge and Jennifer Klinge.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Kling, his parents, two brothers: Gaylord Kling and Jay Dickinson, one niece, Nicole Kling, and cousin, David Klinge.

Funeral services will be held Friday, March 25, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ridgeville, WI. Pastor Bob Gerke will officiate. Burial with full military honors by the Tomah American Legion Post #201 will be held at Mount Vernon Cemetery in Tomah. Family and friends are invited for visitation Thursday, March 24, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Torkelson Funeral Home in Tomah, WI. Family and friends are also invited for visitation Friday 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church. The Torkelson Funeral Home of Tomah is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences are available at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.