gmhTODAY 18 gmhToday Feb March 2018 | Page 14

O Remembering Paul Kloecker Written By Bev Stenehjem n Friday, December 15, the city of Gilroy lost one of its most dedicated and best loved public servants, Paul Kloecker. Council Member Kloecker, 82, passed away just three days after attending a City Council meeting. Ailing and weak from lung disease which necessitated the carrying of an oxygen tank, Kloecker insisted that he be at the meeting. “As difficult as it was for Paul to be there, he wanted to make sure he distributed Christmas presents to his fellow council members,” noted Jane Howard, Executive Director of the Gilroy Welcome Center, who was also there at the meeting. “When I think of Paul, two words that describe him come to mind: honor and integrity—he was a man who stood by his principles.” 14 GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN By all accounts, it is an understatement to say that Paul led a full life. His long list of personal accomplishments is only surpassed by the even longer list of his public service and volunteer activities. With a bachelor’s degree in mechani- cal engineering he was a registered professional engineer. Paul served 22 years in the Navy as an officer in the Civil Engineer Corps where in addition to a bronze star, he earned a master’s degree in Financial Management. As an engineer construction manager, he helped build runways and housing while stationed in Vietnam. After his naval career, Paul started a second career as a construction manager for Silicon Valley companies during the booming 1980s. He was a city councilman for the City of Gilroy—four terms over. An accomplished musician, FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 gmhtoday.com