In Memoriam – Stanley J. Klima
Stanley J. Klima, age 94, has finished his last run. He passed away August 14, 2025, the same way he came into the world – at home. He was the son of Albert and Stella (Chojnacki), the beloved husband of 59 years to Mary Ellen (nee Maher), and loving father to Catherine Gletherow (Jamie), John (Jill), Mary Lynn Golliher (Doug), Carol Auth (Rodney), and Jim (Angela). Stanley (Stash) was an U.S. Army veteran, NASA engineer, and an avid skier.
Stash was always slightly amazed at how his life turned out. Hailing from the small town of Buck Lake in Michigan’s upper peninsula, his military service showed him the world. When he returned home, the GI Bill paved the way for him to go to Michigan Technological University, leaving work on the family farm and in the mines. He landed a job at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio where he worked as a metallurgical engineer on research and testing that was used in the space program.
He was heard to say, “Hard work pays off, but you still need a little bit of luck.” Stash spent over 50 years volunteering for the National Ski Patrol working at both Brandywine Ski Resort in Ohio and Holiday Valley Ski Resort in New York.
Always eager to make one more turn, he was fond of telling friends and family that “some of the best skiing is in the rain” – a not-so-subtle reference to that fact that east coast skiers were a hardy breed and love of skiing overrode snow conditions.
Stash has nine grandchildren – Travis Auth (Maggie), Marin Auth, Hallie Auth, Julia Auth, Isabel Auth, Luke Klima, Kate Klima, Wesley Golliher, and Owen Golliher – and one great-grandchild – Dorothy Auth.
He was the brother of Nancy Horansky and the late Eleanor Boehm, Albert Klima, Mary Stanek, Jean Musial, Violet Miller, Frank Klima, Walter Klima, Ed Klima, and Leonard Klima.
