Richard Kloss

After a long, productive life, Richard Kloss died in his sleep on August 11, 2022 in Glen Carbon, IL. He was 99. Although he lived two decades into the 21st century, Richard was a true 20th century man. Born in Gypsum, KS in 1922, Richard moved with his family to Mt. Olive, IL in 1929. He spent his formative years experiencing the Great Depression of the 1930s. After graduating from Mt. Olive High School in 1940, he attended Kansas State University before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1943, where he served in General Patton’s Third Army. He returned to Mt. Olive in 1946 and joined his father as a partner at the Mt. Olive Milling Company. Richard married Virginia Yancik in 1952 at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church. They were married for 68 years and had four children: Mark, Lyn, Amy and Julie. He had eight grandchildren and one great grandchild. He built a home on a 100 acre farm at the edge of town, where he lived happily from 1967 to 2015. Richard worked hard building his business and had a keen interest in investing and banking. He served on the board of the National Bank of Mt. Olive for many years. After retiring in 1992, Richard traveled the world and spent time in Florida each winter. He took up woodworking and gardening and was renowned for his huge cabbages and prolific tomato plants. Famous for his many aphorisms, Richard was known to dispense advice freely, most of which had to do with working hard and saving money. He will be missed by his family and many friends. A funeral mass and memorial honoring both Richard and Virginia Kloss, who passed away in 2021, will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday September 30, 2022 at the St. John Paul II Catholic Church in Mt. Olive. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. After the mass and trip to the cemetery, lunch will be served in the church hall. Becker and Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Anyone wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at beckerandson.com.

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