Wilbert Herbert Klose

Wilbert Herbert Klose, 95, of Haskell, went home to the Lord on June 2, 2023. Wilbert's life will be celebrated at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at the First Methodist Church in Haskell with Bro. Tony Grand officiating. A visitation will be held from 6:00 - 7:00 PM on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at Haskell Funeral Home, 2 Avenue D. Condolences may be made at www.haskellfuneralhometx.com.

Wilbert was born on April 29th, 1928, to Herbert Klose and Annie Nauert Klose, at his grandmother's home in rural Stamford, Texas. He attended school at Pleasant Valley and Mattson and grew up in the Mattson-Weinert area, on the Klose family farm.

Dad grew up respecting the land and the whims of nature, from a farmer's point of view. He felt when you grow up on a farm, work it, fight with it, that you understood what the land meant, or could mean in a lifetime. He wanted to work the land.

He was inducted in the United States Army on December 13th, 1950 and trained at Fort Hood. After basic training, Wilbert was stationed in Mainz, Germany, for 18 months. He was honorably discharged on November 30th, 1952.

In July of 1953, he went to work for West Texas Utilities, at the Paint Creek Power Plant and had his first date with Dwanna Matthews. Wilbert and Dwanna married the following year and were blessed with two daughters, three granddaughters and two great-grandchildren.

A member of the First Methodist Church and a lifetime member of Sons of Herman. Dad owned and operated a custom cotton harvesting business with the support of his wife, where he looked forward to her many hot, home-cooked meals, served from the tailgate. Wilbert maintained a farming operation throughout his almost 20 years with WTU. He ultimately pursued his true passion as a farmer and cattleman where he spent over 70 years working the land that he loved. He served as a 22-year volunteer for the Haskell Fire Department, served on the ASCS Board, the Gin Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for Big Country Electric Cooperative for 11 years.

Wilbert survived two strikes of lightening, several swarms of bees and from the look of his prized rattler collection, countless rattlesnake encounters. There is nothing he enjoyed more than wielding a short-handled hoe, while chasing a rattlesnake in a bar ditch.

Raising cattle, the joy that new calves brought, sharing memories of friends past and present, hunting with his lifelong Army buddy and later, his buddy's children, shelling and sharing his pecans, especially his bumper crop of '21 and the 227 quart-sized bags he shelled were among his favorite things in life. Wilbert loved providing beef for his family, a good drink of whiskey, watching his embattled Dallas Cowboys, old westerns and rodeos, playing golf, peaches, ice-cream, and sharing his love of sweets by spoiling his grands and great-grands with a vast array of popsicles and treats, he passed along a generational love of lemon drops. His greatest loves called him Paps.

He was proceeded in death by his wife of 67 years Dwanna, his parents, Herbert and Annie (Nauert) Klose, his sister, Carolyn Klose Moore and his son-in-law, Larry Mathis.

Wilbert is survived by his loves, daughters Pam Opitz (Ron) of Mount Pleasant and Cam King (Wade) of Sanger; granddaughters Tenille Williams (Tanner Roberts fiancé) and Trac Mueller (Scott) both of Fort Worth, and Tyler King of Dallas; great-grands Lennox and Shy Mueller; sister Verlean Adkins of Haskell, and special nieces and nephews.

Wilbert believed in hard work, neatness, honesty and fairness, a well-kept yard, never letting your tank go below half, starched jeans and a pressed shirt and the value of a good hat and a pair of boots.

Wilbert was blessed with love and care from Dr. Wayne Cadenhead and staff, and Shelley Myers, RN

Memorials may be made to the Haskell Volunteer Fire Department, 200 N. Ave. E Haskell, Texas 79521

Visitation
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
6:00 PM 6/6/2023 6:00:00 PM - 7:00 PM 6/6/2023 7:00:00 PM Haskell Funeral Home, Inc.

2 Avenue D
Haskell, TX 79521

Haskell Funeral Home, Inc. 2 Avenue D Haskell 79521 TX United States

Memorial Service
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
1:00 PM 6/7/2023 1:00:00 PM First Methodist Church

201 North Ave F
Haskell, TX 79521

First Methodist Church 201 North Ave F Haskell 79521 TX United States Memorial Contribution Haskell Volunteer Fire Department 301 North 1st Street
Haskell, TX 79521