Roger Lamar Klinger Jr., 64, of Cullman, Ala., died Saturday, May 7, 2022, following a brief illness and hospitalization at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Klinger was diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor on March 28, 2022. The tumor resection, on April 6, 2022, was a success, but he suffered an unexpected, fatal brain bleed 11 days post-surgery.
Klinger was born to Roger Lamar Klinger Sr. and Jane Lucille (Rissinger) Klinger in Pottsville, Pa., on Jan. 14, 1958. Klinger graduated high school at age 16 in 1975 from Tri-Valley High School in Valley View, Pa. He then attended Bell & Howell in Columbus, Ohio. He was a machinist by trade. He worked for several companies including White Equipment, Bucyrus International, Minserco, and then began a long and
rewarding career with Drummond Company in the South American division at Mina Pribbenow in Cesar, Colombia, S.A. Due to COVID-19, Roger began a new career closer to home at Madison Metal Processing on the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, USA campus in Madison, Ala. He enjoyed his new career with MMP.
He loved the outdoors and was a hiker and a climber; he played many stringed instruments including the violin, all guitars, banjos and ukulele, plus the clarinet. He spoke several languages including Pennsylvania Dutch, English, Spanish, and was learning Russian. He was a lifelong learner.
Klinger met his wife in New Castle, Pa., in 1991, they married in 1992 and after welcoming baby Ellen in 1993, the family of three traveled and lived in many places including New Bern, N.C., Winter Haven, FL., Steamboat Springs, CO; Miami, FL.; Labrador City, Labrador, Newfoundland and Hibbing, MN. before moving to Cullman, AL in 2005, where they found their permanent home.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents: Harold Klinger and Elva (Schreffler) Klinger; maternal grandparents: John Jacob Rissinger Jr. and Bessie Ethel (Hauck) Rissinger; brother-in-law: Logan M. Sampson III and his mother: Jane Lucille (Rissinger) Klinger.
Survivors include his adoring wife of 30 years: Dawn Heather (Sampson) Klinger; daughter: Ellen Sampson Klinger (Alexander Popp); father: Roger L. Klinger Sr. (Diane Leech); aunt: Alice Waters (Kelli Mills); in-laws: Logan M. Sampson II, and Virginia L. (Vyse) Sampson, Jennifer (Sampson) Chicone (Paul Chicone) and Helen Sampson; nieces and nephews: Jessica and Nathaniel Burks, Logan Liddie and lifelong friend: Tom (Rachel) Minnich.
No services will be held at this time as Klinger opted to generously donate his organs and body to those in need and the medical community. The family asks friends to be kind, be generous and help others. Many thanks go to Cullman Regional Medical Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, especially the UAB Neurosurgery, Critical Care and Palliative Care teams. Many thanks also go to the countless RNs and PCTs who cared for Roger from March 28, 2022, to May 7, 2022.
