Bernhard "Bernie" Wolfgang Klose

Bernhard Klose passed away April 19, 2025, in Casper, Wyoming, at the age of 72.

Born on July 22, 1952, in Fechenheim, a suburb of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Bernie and his parents emigrated to the United States in 1954.

He spent his life finding new adventures and pushing boundaries with a determination to live life independently and on his own terms. He loved music, the arts and the outdoors – and he was a consummate storyteller and joker.

Resourceful and resilient, Bernie mastered a range of tasks and challenges. He worked as a contractor building homes, as a commercial painter, an investigator for the public defender’s office in Nashville, and drug counselor in Indianapolis. He even worked as a film producer in the Virgin Islands before Hurricane Hugo caused widespread destruction there.

Bernie attended Morton High School in Cicero, Illinois, then graduated from Eastern High School in Louisville, Kentucky. He later attended Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond.

Bernie leaves behind a loving family: his parents, Hans and Margarete Klose; his children, Amiryn, Eric, Lillian and, step-daughter, Jessica; his grandchildren Ethan, Eric Jr., Eyan, and Savanah; his brother Roland (Maureen) Klose; his sister Carla Kreitman; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

He also leaves many who cared for him, including lifelong friend Deborah Kennedy and Mike and Sally Peters, who gave Bernie a home in his final weeks.

A celebration of Bernie’s life will be held at a later date, in Louisville, where his parents and other family members still reside.

To share a memory of Bernie or leave a special message for the family, please visit the guestbook below.