Leon “Pappy” Kline – Sergeant Major, United States Army

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Leon “Pappy” Kline

Sergeant Major, United States Army (retired)
18 December 1915 – 31 December 2000

Pappy died on New Years Eve, 31 December 2000, at The Veterans Home in Charlotte Hall, Maryland, only two days after arriving there. This was also the anniversary of his wedding to Katherine June Pinsky. Kathy died 22 July 1996.

Prior to going to the Veterans home he was in a nursing home in Waldorf, Maryland, for three weeks.

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and had made his home in Indian Head, Maryland, since his retirement from the US Army. The funeral was 2 January 2001, at Williams Funeral Home in Indian Head, Maryland. His stepson David Pinsky recited the Kaddish. Both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Masonic Perseverance Lodge 208 conducted a service. Separate eulogies were presented by Sergeant Major (Retired) Joe Plemons, Lawrence Pinsky and Susan Feeney. Pallbearers were Etta Dilauro, Joe Plemons, and Lawrence Pinsky.

An extremely versatile individual: Pappy's lifetime accomplishments were numerous and covered a wide range of areas. To list a few:

Pappy was a Poet. He wrote numerous poems during his lifetime, several of which were published.

He was an Amateur Boxer fighting under the name of Georgie Kline.

He was a Stand Up Comic. Pappy had been known to give an impromptu performance.

He was a Career Soldier: Pappy lied about his age and managed to enlist in the United States Army in 1931 as a Private at age 15 and retired in 1973 as a Sergeant Major in EOD. His military assignments included numerous stateside military bases as well as overseas locations in Europe, Alaska, Korea and Vietnam. Three of his assignments were as an instructor at the EOD School.

He was a Life Member of the Non-Commissioned Officers Association. He was a life Member of Veterans of Foreign War. He was a charter member and founding member of NATEODA.

He was also Honorary Chairman of the EOD Memorial Committee and very proud of having been Chairman of the first EOD Memorial Ball. Pappy never missed attending the annual EOD Memorial Ball until the 30th one in 1999 when he came down with pneumonia the day prior to the ball. After retirement he operated a laundry and dry cleaners and a home remodeling business in Indian Head. He was past building inspector for the Town of Indian Head for which he would accept no pay. He was a Past Member of the Indian Head Planning Commission and a Past Chairman of the Fire Board. He was a very active member of the Indian Head Crime Watch Program. He was a member of the Masonic Perseverance Lodge 208 and Grace Chapter 21, Order of the Eastern Star. He was a past Secretary, Treasurer, and King Lion of the Indian Head Lions Club.

He is Survived by: A daughter, Etta Jane Dilauro of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania; a son,
David Kline of Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania; Stepsons, Larry Pinsky of Houston, Texas, Michael Pinsky of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Gordon Pinsky of Olathe, Kansas,  David Pinsky of Acton, Massachusetts,  and a stepdaughter, Susan Feeney of Amherst, New Hampshire. Also numerous grand children and great grand children. He was Preceded in death by: Father, George David Kline, Mother, Yetta Bryanski, and wife, Katherine June Kline who was Secretary to the USAF Liaison Officer at the EOD School in Indian Head, Maryland.

Leon “Pappy” Kline and wife, Katherine June Pinsky Kline were cremated. Their cremains will be jointly interred with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery Friday, 13 July 2001. Family and friends attending the service are asked to be at the Administration Building at 10:30am. A marble plaque on the niche in the columbarium will display Pappy and Kathy’s name.

Etta Jane Delauro, The daughter of Pappy has given me a limited power of attorney to make the necessary arrangements.

Do not send any flowers. If anyone has a desire to remember Pappy or Kathy you can do so by making a donation in their name to their favorite charity “The EOD Memorial Scholarship Fund”. Believe me, Pappy and Kathy would much prefer that.

Joe Plemons (SGM US Army EOD ret)

KLINE, LEON

  • SGM   US ARMY
  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 04/25/1934 – 11/30/1973
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 12/18/1915
  • DATE OF DEATH: 12/31/2000
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 07/13/2001
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 6-T  ROW 18  SITE 2
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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