Gary Kloepfer

Gary Kloepfer

CARBONVILLE -Gary Kloepfer passed away peacefully on January 15, 2026, in Carbonville, Utah, surrounded by his loving family and devoted wife.

Gary was born March 13, 1952 in Price, Utah, to Matt and Betty Jo (Fazzio) Kloepfer. He grew up in Helper and graduated from Carbon High School in 1970. After graduation, Gary enlisted in the Navy and served on the USS Scamp, a nuclear submarine, from 1970 until 1974, when he was honorably discharged.

In 1972, he married Becky Tochi and they raised two daughters, Kristi and Kami. Gary was a devoted father and always wanted to be close to them. They later divorced and on August 27, 2005 he married Annie Koerner, his soulmate and the love of his life. Together they bought a house in Carbonville and made it a home that he was very proud of.

After he got out of the Navy, Gary worked for the Rio Grande Railroad and was also a school bus driver in Helper, where he saved a little girls life by performing the Heimlich maneuver when she swallowed a piece of Jolly Rancher candy. On February 22, 1978, Gary was hired by Utah Power and Light as a Lab Tech and worked himself up to Crew Supervisor. He loved his time at the powerplant and made so many lifelong friends.

In 2013, Gary was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and in May of 2014 he had to go on disability and leave the Power Plant, which broke his heart. In March of 2017, he officially retired from PacifiCorp after 40 years.

During his high school years, Gary played football, excelled in wrestling and sang in the choir. He especially enjoyed the choir and loved Mrs. Brown, the choir director. He was also in band and was the Drum Major from 1969 to 1970. In 1968, the band was invited to the National Lions Convention in Chicago and there were quite a few stories about that trip.

A group of friends formed a band; they called it the German Band. They dressed up in what looked like German uniforms. This band was in many parades and Gary loved the German Band. Anyone who came to our house had to watch a video of the German Band performing their skit at their high school reunion. The same group who called themselves "The Boys", which included Gary, Gordon, Buck, Bryon, Brent, Davie, Monty, Jessie, Greg and Greg got into so much mischief. They had a wonderful childhood, from climbing up Elephant Rock in Helper, to writing HOT and COLD on the water towers by the College and so many more.

Gary was an outdoorsman who loved fishing, all kinds of fishing. Fly fishing (he tied his own flies), ice fishing and even deep-sea fishing in Mexico, where he caught a Blue Marlin. He also was an avid hunter who enjoyed the pheasant trips to Montana. Many stories are told about those trips. He loved the time when he went to Lake Powell with his family and friends on a houseboat. Gary had his own boat named "Centaur" and we made great memories in Lake Powell on that boat joined by family and friends with their boats. He loved to camp up Huntington Canyon and Avintaquin. They all were simple pleasures with family and friends and that is what he loved most.

Gary is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Annie; parents, Matt and Betty Jo Kloepfer; children, Kristi Kloepfer and Kami Kloepfer-Gutierez and husband Gabe; step-son, Chris Koerner and Carrie. He is the proud grandfather of 7 grandchildren, Dominique, Thomas, Philip, Antonio, Gianni, Mateo and Stella; his sister, Jodi and husband Jeff Anderson; sister, Kim Kloepfer-Bickley and husband Joe; brother, "Little Matt" Kloepfer; sisters-in-law, Mini Kuepper (Australia) and Rosi Hary (France); along with many uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews and a community of friends.

He is preceded in death by his sister, Cathy Kloepfer-Dimick; his grandparents, Joe and Beatrice Fazzio and Bill and Regina Kloepfer.

Gary will be remembered as a wonderful husband, a great son, dad, father-in-law, papa, grandpa and brother. He was a loyal friend to so many and a person who never had anything bad to say about anybody.

Funeral Mass, Monday, January 26, 2026, 10:00 a.m., St. Anthony Catholic Church in Helper. Vigil service, Sunday evening 5:00 p.m., Mitchell Funeral Home. Family will receive friends at Mitchell Funeral Home Sunday one hour prior to the Vigil and at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Helper Monday morning one hour prior to Mass. Committal service, Mt. View Cemetery, Helper.

Arrangements under the trusted care of Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories of Gary online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net