Rev. George M. Kloster
Deceased: 2019-12-24
Diocese: CHARLOTTE
Seminary Graduation Year: 1969
George Martin Kloster Jr. passed away Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019, at Pennybyrn at Maryfield in High Point. He was born Oct. 28, 1943, in Utica, N.Y., to George Martin and Helen Currier Kloster. At age 10, his family moved to Clayton, where his father was the manager of a textile mill. After graduating from Clayton High School, George attended St. Mary’s College in Kentucky. He studied theology at The Pontifical North American College and was ordained a Catholic priest with the Class of 1969 in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Father George spent the next 45 years serving as pastor in seven parishes across North Carolina. He retired from the ministry in 2013 and made his home in Murphy. Father George was known for his charitable works and devotion to ecumenism. He served the N.C. Council of Churches in many areas, including as president 1986-88, and received the Distinguished Service Award in 1991. He was an advocate for social action and justice, and was awarded the Catholic Charities USA Volunteer of the Year in 2013. Also that year, a portion of U.S. 64 in western North Carolina was named the “Rev. George Kloster Highway” to honor his commitment in church, civic and community affairs in Clay and Cherokee counties.
George loved to travel, both in the United States and worldwide. He led pilgrimages to Israel and throughout Europe, and traveled with brother priests all over the world. Wherever he went, he visited churches and met with the people to understand what life was like there. Family was very important to George. He regularly traveled to visit with relatives across the country, and was excited to receive visits from family and friends at his home. George was instrumental in organizing the Kloster family reunions, which brought together relatives from across the United States and from the family’s ancestral village of Gross-Zimmern in Germany.
He is survived by a sister, Dolores Kloster Quinn of Northglenn, Colo.; sister-in-law, Beverly S. Kloster of New Hartford, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and great-grand nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brothers, James “Jimmy” Kloster and Francis “Fran” Kloster; and his sister, Barbara Kloster Jones. George’s family appreciates the kind and loving care given to him while he was a resident at Pennybyrn.
A memorial service and committal rites will be held at a later date in Murphy.
If you choose to make a charitable contribution in memory of George, please consider the North Carolina Council of Churches (www.ncchurches.org) or Catholic Relief Services (www.crs.org), two organizations that promote unity, justice and charity. Condolences to the Kloster family may be mailed to Tim Kloster, 318 Murphy Road, Youngsville, NC 27596.
