On Tuesday, December 22nd,2020, 2:00 PM eastern standard time, Bernard “Bernie” Klein set sail peacefully in his home. Port O’Conner, Texas was his “End of the Road” as Port O’Conner is known as. Humor still intact, he tied the last knot in the rope, his last quote, “You know I’m not going to die”, well you did. The captain and his first mate, Linda, have set sail, even keel, calm and steady with a cold Miller Lite in one hand, the stern in the other. Known for his vast nautical vocabulary, including words that would make any sailor blush. He could go “head to head”, with any “loose cannon” at the local marina. Then head off to work, polished, wing tipped shoes, three-piece suit, Hanes white t-shirt, black socks, that we all wore to school, he would jet off to complete a “project” in some famous city we all wanted to go to. He leaves behind a dysfunctional family of 6 kids, 6 broken hearted kids, that he proudly, we think, loosely called … “Knuckled Heads”.
He made us “Knuckle Heads” “Walk the line”. Lining us “Knuckle Heads” up at the bathroom door on Sundays for an ass whooping after church was just that. He used us “Knuckle Heads” for free labor to weed his beloved brick lined flower beds. Leaving no brick unturned, we all promised that we pulled every weed …LOL.. It was hard to “out poor” a boy, a descendant of German parents. We all heard his “story after story” while drinking what we called ‘white water”, the 1970’s version of “powered” whole milk. He walked a mile in the snow, uphill both ways with a hole in the sole of his shoes to go to school” to this day we think this was true.
“Maybe” meant “No!”,” Go ask your mother” was trouble a-coming. All six of us “Knuckle Heads” were blueprint, drafting table, copy making, cigar smoking, weekend “missing dad heroes”. We are proud to call him “DAD”. He worked his butt off, providing the best he could for his family, his “Knuckle Heads”.
Well known architect, Bernard “Bernie” Klein, Lockwood Greene Engineering, Spartanburg, South Carolina/ Dallas Texas, Carter and Burges, architecture, and Engineering, Fort Worth Texas- acquired by Jacobs Engineering Group, Fort Worth/Houston, Texas.
Our Dad, We Love you dad,… set the sail… watch out for the boom…..Your Knuckle Heads…Mary Klein, Simpsonville, South Carolina. Mike Klein, Rockwall, Texas. Eileen Daniels, Inman, South Carolina. Stephanie Pearson, Inman, South Carolina. Christian Klein, San Antonio, Texas. Charles “Chuck” Klein, Port O’Conner, Texas. Soo many grandchildren and great grandchildren and last, but not least, his short legged, gopher hunting buddy… Skipper Klein. Dad, We love you…..
