The Legacy of Francis V. Kloecker, Jr.
Francis V. Kloecker Jr. joined the family business during his youth at the age of twelve. From washing cars to running flowers around, Francis did whatever he could to be a part of his family’s funeral home. He worked throughout all of his years of high school at Cathedral Prep. He was given his father’s work ethic which pushed him to dedicate numerous hours of his time towards the betterment of the funeral home. After graduating Prep in 1956, Francis went on to attend Gannon for two years where he majored in Business. After Gannon, Francis attended Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science to earn his Mortuary degree. Immediately after graduation, Francis went right back to work and later on took his role as head of the business in 1975.
Carrying on the theme of involvement in the community, Francis was apart of numerous clubs around the city of Erie. He was the founding lector in 1967 of the weekly television Mass sponsored by the Serra Club, was appointed to the Board of Corporators at Saint Vincent, Gannon University Advisory Board member, St. Mary’s Home of Erie Board member, and South Erie Hillside Association member. He was a part of the Stairways Board and served as president from 1990 to 1992. He also served on boards at Catholic Social Services, the American Cancer Society, Erie Center for the Blind, Serenity Hall-Crossroads and House of Healing. He was also on the Cathedral Preparatory School Board and Athletic Board.
Fran was a member of the Times Old Newsies, Children’s Welfare Association, Friends of Harborcreek, National Funeral Directors Association, Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, Erie-Crawford Counties Funeral Directors Association and Pennsylvania Eye Eneucleators Society. He was a member of St. Joseph Church/Bread of Life Community, where he was active in the parish council, served on the properties committee and was a Eucharistic minister and lector. Fran was a former member of St.John the Baptist Church, where he was a Eucharistic minister, lector and member of the Parish Council, School Board, Men’s Council (serving as the first president), Usher’s Society, Serra Club and member of Cursillo No. 12.
A charter member of the Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Fran was also a member of the Rotary Club, Erie Maennerchor, East Erie Turners, Siebenbuerger Club, Sunflower Club, Zukor Club and Elks Lodge. While at Gannon, Fran was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, serving as a member of the Alumni Control Board from 1960 to 1979. He was also a member of the Cathedral Prep football and basketball boosters and the Gannon basketball boosters. He was also a presenter at the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and the Visiting Nurse Association Hospice Program.
Fran was the Cathedral Prep’s Alumnus of the Year in 1984 and was presented the Pope John Paul II Benemerenti Medal in 1996. His reach stretched out all across the city of Erie, where he touched the lives of countless individuals and was able to conduct his business with personal touches by knowing most, if not every, family that entered our doors. At the young age of 64, Francis Kloecker Jr. passed away on December 7th, 2002. He loved his work with all of his heart and did anything and everything he could to preserve its integrity. Expanding it to as far as he could, Francis left the funeral home in the good hands of his son, Mark Francis V. Kloecker where he continues his father’s and grandfather’s legacy.