Kern County CA Archives Obituaries.....Kleier, Edward L., Jr. January 5, 2007 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Loren Kleier kleierlaw@gmail.com January 25, 2017, 10:09 pm Bakersfield Californian http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bakersfield/obituary.aspx?n=edward- laurance-kleier-larry&pid=85909329 Edward Laurance Kleier, Jr. "Larry" January 23, 1934 - January 5, 2007 Larry was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Gertrude Pike Kleier and Edward L. Kleier on January 23, 1934. He moved with his family to Bakersfield in 1949. Larry graduated from Garces Memorial High School in 1951. In 1953, he enlisted in the United States Army and served until 1955. He attended the University of Santa Clara, Bakersfield College and graduated from Cal State Fresno in 1958 with a degree in Sociology. Larry went to work for the Kern County Sheriff's Department in 1958 as a deputy. Over the next 29 years, he served throughout the department in nearly every major division including Search and Rescue, Sheriff's Reserve Organization, the bomb detail and the SWAT Team. Larry obtained all certificates from the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) From basic through management. In 1971, Larry was chosen as the second man in the department to attend the F.B.I National Academy in Quantico, VA. As a Sergeant Larry supervised all field operations for the 1973 Lamont U.F.W. grape strike. From 1975-1982, Larry was in command of the security operations at the Kern County Fair. During this period the Fair was returned to a safe place for residents to take their families. Larry led multiple divisions within the Kern County Sheriff's office serving as Department training officer, Lieutenant for Internal Affairs, Detective commander, sub station commander, civil division commander, and metropolitan Bakersfield commander . Throughout his career Larry served on numerous law enforcement and education committees. He served as a member of the planning committee for the Public Administration Department of Cal State Bakersfield when the college first opened. Additionally he was a member of the California Criminal Justice Planning Commission and as a member of the project review committee of the Office of Criminal Justice Planning. Larry taught in the law enforcement program at Bakersfield College and served on the Kern County Peace Officers' Regional Training Academy. In 1983, Larry was elected to Kern County Sheriff. During his tenure he reestablished the helicopter and canine programs; established an outstanding drug abuse prevention program; expanded the Neighborhood Watch program; helped with the development of the 911 emergency system, doubled the capacity of the jail and developed a state of the art training program for employees. In 1955, Larry married the love of his life, Barbara Ballard Kleier. Together they had seven children. Larry will be remembered for his devotion and love for his wife, children and 16 grandchildren. His family was a source of enormous pride. Larry believed all of his children would succeed in life and gave them the motivation and will to do so. He was a loving father who took great pleasure in the adventures, activities, and successes of those he loved. Spending time with his family gave him delight and satisfaction. Larry and Barbara enjoyed vacations with their children. Because of Larry's love of the great outdoors these trips always included camping, hiking, and fishing. An avid gun collector Larry enjoyed spending time hunting with his sons and close friends especially Gary Criswell. Always in search of a great adventure Larry and Barbara traveled extensively throughout the United States after his retirement in 1987. Often they took their grandchildren with them hoping to offer them an adventure. They also visited Italy, Greece, England, France, Finland, Sweden and Russia. In his free time, Larry was an avid reader. His home was filled with books on the topics he loved, western novels full of adventure and history, detective novels full of suspense and danger as well as books about collecting and repairing firearms. Also, he read the newspaper from cover to cover each day allowing him to keep abreast of local, national and world politics. Because he was so well read, Larry was a source of information on a wide variety of topics to those who knew and loved him and sparring partner for those who didn't. Larry was active in the community throughout his life volunteering his time to non-profits and political organizations including Secretary- Treasurer of California State Juvenile Officer's Association, Vice President Garces Memorial High School Board of Education, President Garces Memorial High School and OLPH Parents Club, Founding Board Member San Felipe Boy's Home Board of Directors, President San Joaquin Valley Arms Collectors Association, member board of directors of Kern County Employees Association, President Sheriff's Welfare and Benefit Association, Vice President, Secretary and Life member of the California Sheriff's Association, Member of the Kern County Mounted Sheriffs, Chairman Crippled Children's Society, member Board of Directors Boy Scouts of America, Kern County Republican Central Committee, Rotary, Footprinters Association, and a member of both the National Rifle Association and Smith and Wesson Collectors Association. In 1992, Larry was named Republican of the Year for his dedication and efforts to the party. Proud of his Kentucky roots, Larry was a member of the Honorable order of Kentucky Colonels. This outstanding achievement signified his commitment to further the accomplishments and commitment of Kentuckians around the world. A true southern gentleman Larry believed that devotion to family and the community were enduring qualities for all to aspire. Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Gertrude and his daughter, Lynn Ellen. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara; six children, Gerry Kleier and wife Samantha Hankins and children Beryl and Alice of Martinez, CA, Tim and wife, Kristi, and children, Patrick and Matthew of Bakersfield, Katie Kleier and husband, Kevan Hensman and daughter Courtney of Bakersfield, Connie McGlynn and her husband, Matthew and children, Margaret, Catherine, and Thomas of Red Bluff, CA, Loren and his wife, Collette and children, William, Mitchell, James, Michael, Collette and Callias of Bakersfield, Elizabeth Kleier and her husband Lewis Bornmann and their children Emily and Lewis of Vallejo, CA; aunt Shopie Wall of Louisburg, North Carolina; sister, Sally Summers and her husband Paul; seven nieces and nephews, Jim Ballard, Cindy Anspach, Scott Summers, Patrick Summers, Christy Reed, David Caughell and D'Lynn Everrett; 18 great nieces and nephews and foreign exchange son, Esa Leivo of Finland. Pallbearers will be his sons, Gerry, Tim and Loren, and sons-in-law, Matthew McGlynn, Kevan Hensman, Lewis Bornmann, and nephew Jim Ballard. The family would like to thank Drs. Abhay Waman Rizbud, Mark Mishkind and Charlton Wong of Kaiser Permanente as well as Robin I. Green, Clinical Coordinator Advanced Bio Chemotherapy Program, Optimal Hospice Care nurse, Jennifer McClintock and aide Laurie Smith for their expert care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Garces Memorial High School Tuition Assistance or the American Cancer Society. Recitation of the Rosary and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 124 Columbus Ave., Thursday, January 11, at 10:00 a. m. Msgr. Michael Braun will officiate. Interment will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park, 3700 River Blvd. Visitation will be on Wednesday 3:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Greenlawn Mortuary. Published in Bakersfield Californian on Jan. 9, 2007 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/kern/obits/k/kleier4747gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 8.1 Kb