Edward Kleckner of Hansville, Washington passed away on April 15, 2019. He was surrounded by family, his dog and cats, and had a view of the beautiful garden nurtured by his wife Bunny.
Born in Talladega, AL during the Second World War, Ed grew up in Cohoes, NY. His father Nolan died when Ed was young; Ed and his sister Lynn were raised by their mother, Eloris and grandmother Lily. Ed developed a love for the outdoors, science, and wide-ranging interests through reading that he carried throughout his life. After graduating from Princeton University, Ed and his first wife, Judith Fradkin, moved out to Seattle to attend graduate school at the University of Washington, where Ed went on to earn a PhD in physics. They moved to Richland, Washington for Ed’s job with Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories, where he worked with the physics of the aurora and they raised their children, Paula and Nolan. The family often went hiking, camping, and cross-country skiing; Ed led his son’s scout troop; and Ed and Judy were active with local groups that played traditional music from England, Ireland, and around the US. Ed also honed his woodworking skills making both furniture and musical instruments.
In 1994, Ed and Judy moved to Hansville to be closer to their daughter Paula and new grandchild Anna of Seattle. Ed was an active member of the community, serving on the board of the Hansville Community Center and had fun working with the Annual Rummage Sale. For years he enjoyed contributing to the construction and maintenance of the Hansville Greenway trail system. Ed loved his Little Boston Library.
After Judy died in 2000, Ed met, fell in love with, and married Bunny Cottingham. Their families merged and grew to include her sons Ian (Portland, OR) and Evan (Seattle, WA,) daughter Kate (Bozeman, MT) along with Kate’s two boys, Owen and Nathan, Evan’s wife Trina, and Ian’s son, Garrett and Ed’s niece Amy Mclean and family of Colorado and nephew Kirk Mitchell and family of New Mexico. Bunny and Ed shared a deep love of books and reading, poetry and music, and exploration of all kinds. They traveled extensively in the Southwest, on cross-country trips, in the Northeast and in the southern US, often in their trusty Airstream, the Odyssey.
Ed had a generous heart and chose to believe in the best of people. He experienced some deep losses during his life but never stopped loving life and living it fully. His curiosity and passion for nearly everything led him from slide rules and calculators to fly fishing and kayaking to ham radio to photography to myriad computer languages and spiritual reflection. The universe was a never-ending source of wonder, whether contemplating the heavens or paddling a canoe. Most of all, he enjoyed being with his family: talking, sharing meals, just being together. Ed will be very deeply missed.
A gathering of friends and family will be held later in the summer.
Grateful acknowledgment is given to Hospice – the devoted nursing care of Amanda, his dear Daveanna and Diana Allen and to long years of attentive care and friendship of Dr James Clemen and Dr Sirisha Jain.
