James Deane Klinker, 88, died in his home on November 14. He was born in Lafayette on February 2, 1935, to Paul Edward Klinker and Thelma Mary Deane Klinker. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1953 and joined the Air Force where he served time in Germany as a mechanic. He returned to Lafayette and completed a machinist apprenticeship at the Monon Railroad, where he continued to work until it closed its Lafayette shops.

Mr. Klinker went on to provide maintenance and custodial services at St. Lawrence Catholic parish, where he was a life-long member. Hundreds of students at St. Lawrence remember him as the one who was always there to look after their school. Following that, he worked at Fairfield Manufacturing until he retired in 2000.

In May 1958 he married Ruth Quaintance, who survives. Together they have four children: Michael (Martha) Klinker, of Brookfield, Wisconsin; Steven (Carol) Klinker, of Loveland, Ohio; Susan Klinker of Columbus, Indiana; and Julie (Stephen) Norris of Lafayette. Additionally, they have twelve grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

He is also survived by two brothers, Donald (Kay) Klinker of Lafayette and David (Carol) Klinker of Spartanburg, South Carolina. A brother, Richard Klinker, and two sisters, Carolyn Klinker Cancik and Captain Mary Therese Klinker, preceded him in death.

Arrangements through Soller-Baker Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the Lafayette Area Catholic Schools https://www.lcss.org/apps/pages/honor_memory or to the Mary T. Klinker Veteran’s Resource Center https://www.mtkvets.org/

Visitation will be from 10:00 am until the time of the Funeral Mass at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 25, 2023 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 1916 Meharry St. Lafayette, Indiana 47904. Burial will follow at St. Boniface Cemetery.