EDMUND LOUIS KLINE

Edmund was a graduate of the Poland, one-room school in Maple Ridge and a member of the last graduating class of St. Anne High School, Alpena, 1950. He received the sacred sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion at St. Mary’s Church, Alpena.

As the fifth of eight children, he accepted the role of helping with farm chores: milking cows, haying, picking stones, harvesting grain, hoeing and picking potatoes. He enjoyed trapping wild game and hunting, especially crows. On one hunting venture he came home with a bobcat. He was a member of the Maple Ridge Baseball Team and was selected as an All-Star of the County League. His role on an Alpena Hockey Team was that of goalie.

After high school he was employed briefly at the Alpena Tannery, then went to Flint, Mich., where he worked for the Buick Motor Company. While there his draft notice arrived from Uncle Sam to serve in the Korean War. His two-year stint would be served in Altoona, Penn., in the Signal Corps. On his discharge, a planned marriage was not to be but an unexpected blessing called “The G.I. Bill” came his way, i.e. college fund for military veterans. He enrolled in Jordan Seminary, a Junior College in Menominee, Mich. After completing three years, he joined the Benedictine Religious Order in Blue Cloud Abbey, S.D. With completion of studies in philosophy and theology he was ordained for the Catholic Priesthood as a Benedictine Monk on May 23, 1963 in New Ulm, Minn. He said his first Mass in St. Mary Church, Alpena.

His work as a Monk included catechetical instruction to Native Americans on reservations in the Dakotas, but his dream was to serve in the Hispanic Missions in Central America. He was sent by his Abbey to Loyola University, Chicago, to earn a degree in sociology and to learn the Spanish language. At the conclusion of these tasks, he departed for Coban, Guatemala, where he would spend the next 50 years.

Coban would prove a place of challenge, accomplishments and a change of career paths. As a Benedictine in a newly founded monastery, he spearheaded and facilitated the building of a Community Educational Center, with a program for forming Community Leaders among the native population. Guatemala is a country largely Hispanic with a significant Q’eqchi’ population, descendants of the Ancient Mayan civilization. While instructing he would meet Amelia. A new venture would include time in Mexico City for marriage and graduate work at The Ibero-American University to pursue master level studies in social anthropology.

His return to Coban would no longer be as a priest but as a parish and community member and leader. For income he opened a small concrete block making business that would help sustain him and his family for many years. Teaching English at the State University of San Carols was his principal occupation. A major community challenge would be to construct a new church building. With considerable energy on his part, it was accomplished. His Mass of Christian burial occurred in this church of San Marcos. A third and final building project would be the most daunting, a home for the elderly in this city. On vacant land adjoining his home he began working with city officials, politicians and others to fund and develop a complex of small apartments for the elderly. He and his wife formed a governing board, contacted various sources, local and abroad for funds, and persisted after several years in building a structure. Meetings were held in the Kline home. Dedicated in 2010, this facility, Casa Hogar del Anciano (Home for the Aged) thrives and displays the Kline name. Edmund’s funeral procession began at this Center.

Surviving besides his wife are his children, Clara Kline (Henry) and Bernardo (Marlyn) Kline, and five grandchildren, as well as three siblings: John (Mary Jane) Kline of Napoleon, Ohio, Rita Gaasch (Dr. William) of Newton, Mass., and Gerald (Rosalie) Kline of Maple Ridge, Alpena, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Preceding him in death were his parents and siblings, Vernon, Dorothy, Marie and Alvin, and an infant daughter, Mariana.

A Catholic Mass was celebrated by Benedictine Priests on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 in the Church of San Marcos, the facility he was instrumental in constructing. Burial took place in the Coban Cemetery.