John William Klingner

Lt Col. John William Klingner (USAF Ret.), beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, of Roswell, Georgia passed away September 30, 2014. He is predeceased by his wife, Mary Pettiss Klingner. He is survived by his daughters, Jacque (Joe) Digieso, and Genie (Lance) Brady, grandchildren, Steven ( Stacy ) Digieso, Eric (Carrie) Digieso, Drew(Michael) Jernigan, Colin (Jason) Morris, Meredith(Scott) McKee and great grandchildren Brady, Gabriel, Jackson, Hunter Grace, Hunter, Micaela, JoliAnna, Patrick, Ryan, Nathan, Jennings, Macie Kate and Logan. John grew up in San Francisco and joined the Army Air Corps in 1942. He married his love, Mary, in 1944 in Bastrop , Louisiana and together they travelled the world. He retired after 23 years in the Air Force, most of which were as a command Pilot with over 8000 pilot hours. He served in Naples and Via Reggio, Italy, San Antonio, Texas, Florida, Narsarssuak, Greenland, Charleston, South Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Rantoul, Illinois. Upon retirement he spent another 19 years as Director of Public Relations for International PaperCompany in Camden and Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Then he and Mary retired to Lake Hartwell, S.C. where he served on the Board of Directors for the Oconee Medical Center in Seneca, S.C. John was a devoted civic servant supporting educational and arts agencies in Arkansas and South Carolina. He held leadership roles in both Kiwanis , on a District level and Rotary International, as Club president and Paul Harris Fellow. He was a 32nd degree Mason and was in the order of Daedalians. John was a a devout Christian who served as a Sunday school teacher, lay reader and Senior Warden in the Episcopal churches where he and his wife , Mary, lived. John made dear friends everywhere he went and continued to correspond with kindred spirits all around the world. His smile would light up a room and his youthful spirit appealed to all. Gentle, generous, loving and strong, he served as a role model for his family through the generations. His Memorial Service will be held Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 3:00 at St David's Episcopal Church, Old Roswell Road, Roswell, Georgia. Interment will take place at a later date at Church of the Ascension in Seneca, S.C. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to The Cottage School, 700 Grimes Bridge Road, Roswell, 30075 and/or Big Dreams Ministries, inc. #324 , 12460 Crabapple Road , suite 202, Alpharetta, Ga, 30004.Arrangements under the direction of Roswell Funeral Home, Roswell, GA.