Harrison J. Kline

January 6, 1936 - September 22, 2012

 

The Rev. Harrison James (Harry) Kline of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, (formerly of Freeport), passed away on Sept. 22, 2012, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, after a long illness.

Dad was born in Clinton, Iowa, on Jan. 6, 1936, to Alvin and Mabel (Perrin) Kline. Growing up in Davenport, Iowa, Dad was ahead of the technological curve--recording his voice for posterity on a transcription disc, before tape recorders were common. (Click here to listen) A few years later, Dad met the love of his life, Maxine Ann Hamilton. They dated for eight years before being married on Aug. 9, 1958, in Davenport.

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa and a Master of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. Dad served as a medical corpsman in the US Naval Reserve.

Dad began his career in laboratory medicine in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, later working for Chemplex Plastics in Clinton, Iowa, before moving to Freeport, Illinois in 1968.

While in Freeport, Dad was the chief medical technologist in the laboratory at Freeport Memorial Hospital, and served on the church council of First Lutheran Church and as a past-president of the Freeport Lions Club. In 1977, Dad became the laboratory business manager at Mercy (Hospital) Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa, and later was named Director of Operations for the Blood Center of Central Iowa. Dad also worked as a field surveyor for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.

In 1983, Dad answered a call to ministry and relocated with his family to El Sobrante, California, while attending PLTS.

In his second career in ministry, he served Lutheran parishes in Montana, Iowa, and Illinois before retiring with Mom to Arkansas. Dad was a woodworker in his leisure time, loved his family and friends, and had a wonderful sense of humor.

Harry is survived by his wife, Maxine; sons, Alan (Sharon) of Des Moines, Iowa, and Christopher (Robin) of Seattle, Washington; his brother-in-law, Alan Hamilton of Davenport, Iowa; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepmother, Marguerite (Fancher) Kline; his sister, Arline Kline; and his son, Steven.

A memorial service will be held at Community of Joy Lutheran Church, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, on November 16, 2012 at 10:30 AM.

More photos of Dad and Mom, on their fiftieth anniversary in 2008...