Paul Raymond Kline Sr. passed away on Aug. 13, 2022, at the age of 89, in the comfort of his home with his family beside him.
Paul battled with issues related to the aging process in the past year with courage and dignity. Despite human limitations that sometimes occur with aging, Paul stayed strong and faithful to the end. As a child Paul grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He was the seventh child out of twelve children born to Raymond and Edna Kline. Each younger child was assigned to the help of an older sibling; his “assigned sibling” was his sister, Dorothy, who doted on him throughout the years. At the young age of seventeen, Paul enlisted in the U.S. Airforce. Since he was a minor, yet adamant to start his adult life, his father gave his permission and signed for him to be allowed to join.
Upon enlisting, Paul was sent to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for his basic training. After basics, he was sent to March Field in Riverside, Calif., to await his technical training location. Once a training slot was available, he set off to Chicago, Ill., for training as a sheet metal aircraft mechanic which eventually was his career choice. After months of extensive training, he was sent back to March Field in California. Following his stay in California, he and several buddies were assigned to the 8th Air Force Bomber Wing and departed for Chennault Air Force base in Lake Charles, La. It was in Lake Charles where he met Nanette Ann Theriot. They met, dated, and fell in love while roller skating at Pelican Skateland. Paul and Nanette were married on Dec. 22, 1951. A year and a half later, Paul was deployed to Sidi Slimane, North Africa during the Korean War and served as a member of the reenacted Strategic Air Command.
After his return, he eventually returned to civilian life and started a career as a sheet metal mechanic. Paul and Nanette were blessed with four children: Paula, Annette, Paul Jr., and Donna. He worked locally in Lake Charles for Dubois Sheetmetal Works until he was hired by Babcock and Wilcox traveling to various job sites. Family was always his primary interest, so in 1968 he decided to take his family with him as he traveled to assigned locations: Columbia, Mo., Joplin, Mo., New Madrid, Mo., Colorado Springs, Colo., Ortonville, Minn., and Craig, Colo. He provided his family with an abundance of experiences and numerous acquaintances. After 1978, Paul chose to limit his traveling and came back to Lake Charles, La., to continue a more local career life. He eventually established a company of his own.
Those preceding his death were his wife, Nanette Theriot Kline; daughter, Paula Kline; parents, Raymond and Edna Kline; parents-in-law, Winnie and Joseph Roy, A.J. Theriot; siblings, Martha, Agnes, Norma, Florene, Dorothy, Edward, Russell, Blanche, and Donald; and brother-in-law Hugh Delaney.
Those left to honor his memory are as follows: His children, Annette (Tony) Fowler, Paul, Jr. (Yvonne) Kline, Donna (Charles) Precht III. His grandchildren, Jamie (Chad) Scimeme, Jared Fowler, Kristin (William) Groves, Julie (Leon) Bellard, Grant (fiancé, Kara), Natalie (Corey) Leger, Adam (Alicia) Precht, Molly (Connor) Sharpe. His great-grandchildren, Cassidy, Vincent, Rose, Will, Emily, Mary Claire, Khylee, Kasen, Alaya Che’, August, Maren, Spencer, Blakely, Darby, and Brooks. His sister-in-law, Beverly Delaney.
All are welcomed to the services to honor the life of Paul Kline Sr. Service will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church in Big Lake under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Address is as follows: 11054 LA-384, Lake Charles, LA 70607. Friends visitation: 10 -12:30 p.m., Rosary: 12:30 p.m., Funeral Mass: 1 p.m. Monsignor James Gaddy will officiate. Burial will follow the Mass in Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Catholic Charities or St. Mary of the Lake Building Fund.
Words of comfort to the family may be expressed at www.johnsonfuneralhome.net.