Lester H. Kline

Lester H. "Les" Kline, 90, of Dover died Sunday, July 24, 2016 at the Inn at Northwood Village in Dover following a brief illness.
Born March 9, 1926 in Dover, he was the son of the late Homer Kline and Ina M. (Page) Kline Richard and a devoted stepson of Henry "Hiner" Richard.

Les graduated from Dover High School in 1944 where he was a member of the band and played football. He attended Ohio State University, The University of Illinois, and Fenn College (now Cleveland State). He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during both WW 2 and the Korean War. He returned to the U.S. from Korea to Seattle, Washington where he met his wife, Betty Long of Atlanta, Texas. They united in marriage on June 25, 1952 in Boise, Idaho and enjoyed nearly 62 years of marriage until her passing on May 5, 2014. During their marriage, they traveled to all 50 states, Canada, Europe, and Mexico.

He was employed by the Warner & Swasey Co. in Cleveland for five years before being transferred to the Gradall Division in New Philadelphia where he worked as a mechanical engineer for 37 years. He enjoyed his work and the people he worked with and during his tenure, he acquired five patents.

He was a member of the Dover Moose, Life Member of the former Dover Elks, Past President of the New Phila Jaycees and past president of the Dover East School PTA. He was an avid golfer and loved woodworking having built furniture of all kinds and collected and refurbished antiques. He previously attended the Grace Lutheran Church in Dover.

In addition to his wife and parents, Les was preceded in death by a sister and brother in law Katherine and Edgar Dill.

He will be sadly missed by his children including three daughters, Janet (Michael) Kinsey of Sherrells Ford, N.C., Pamela (Bruce) Ellwood of New Philadelphia, and Kimberly (Michael) Stotzer of Atwood Lake, and his son, Douglas Kline and his companion, Kelly Mezurek of Dover along eight grandchildren, Angela (Kevin) Hewitt, Christopher (Melissa) Kinsey, Amber Kinsey, Tyler (Lauren) Ellwood, Zachary Ellwood, Nicholas (Leah) Stotzer, Stephanie (Anthony) Pariano, and Trenton Kline; eight great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Funeral services celebrating Les' life will be held Friday, July 29, 2016 beginning at 10:30am in the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory at Dover with Dr. William Haggis officiating. Interment will be in the Dover Burial Park where the Dover VFW will conduct military honors. A reception will follow in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center. Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 5-8pm. Those who cannot attend or who may wish to express a fond memory of Les can sign the online guestbook by visiting the "obituaries and flowers" link on the funeral home website at www.tolandherzig.com

Memorials may be made to Crossroads Hospice, 3743 Boettler Oaks Drive, Suite E, Green, Ohio 44685