Harold "Harry" Erwin Klapp Jr.'s Obituary
Racine - Harold Klapp, who went by ‘Harry,’ was born on April 23, 1955, and died on November 14, 2025, at home. He was a fan of history and of simple pleasures, like nature walks, milk shakes, and gardening. He never met a cat who did not see him as a kindred spirit, and he tried his best to show up and make a difference. His favorite saying? Train hard, concentrate on form, lift heavy and rest.
Harry is survived by everyone who ever knew him, as we all are, eventually. If you are reading this, and you ever knew him, please raise a toast to him. If he was still here, know that he would be worried about your soul and implore you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior before you leave this earthly plane. Remember that is his request and all I know is that he sincerely believed it. A special thanks to Michelle, his daughter, to Terri, his sister-in-law, and Robert Lange, his cousin, for the pure love and support you three showed him over and over again. And also, to niece Jada and her partner, Zennen, and to nephews Billy, Jesse, Travis, and James.
I would like to share a simple story about him. Recently, fall leaves were falling here, as I imagine they were by you. And Harry had made a large pile of leaves, including some twigs to keep the pile intact, and he did this not to clean up the yard but rather to provide a possible home for a few “wee beasties” as he called them to survive the coming winter. He aways looked out for the vulnerable. Once on a morning walk we had a duck seek us out because it had a fishing hook stuck in its mouth. Somehow it knew that he would find a way to help. He couldn’t get it out at first, so we went home but before long he had found just the right pair of pliers, gone back and found the duck still wandering around several blocks away, and with my help extracted the hook. He was like this with squirrels, with racoons, with possums, kittens and even an occasional human, like a neighborhood boy he saw in real need when everyone else seemed to just look past the kid. So, to honor his memory, please consider adding a few metaphorical leaves to that pile he started.
Inurnment will be private and there are plans to have several informal open houses at his home to celebrate his life.
What’s your fondest memory of Harold "Harry"?
What’s a lesson you learned from Harold "Harry"?
Share a story where Harold "Harry"'s kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Harold "Harry" you’ll never forget.
How did Harold "Harry" make you smile?