Friends, teachers fondly remember Kluk kids

The children of Robert and Carolyn Kluk were remembered as kind, talented, bright, gentle and tenacious during a memorial service on New Year's Eve at Forest Lake High School.

Erin

The gathering was in memory of Erin Kluk, 18, Andrea, 15, and Rob, 13, who died in a collision on I-35E near White Bear Lake on Dec. 27, 2002. The crash also claimed the life of Gary Baar, 47, of St. Paul, who was driving a van that was struck by the vehicle carrying the three youth.

The two-hour program on Dec. 31 followed a three-hour visitation that drew hundreds of well-wishers who turned out to support the Kluks and their three surviving children, Dan, Brian and Leanne.

Andrea

High school officials said the memorial service crowd in the gymnasium was near 600.

The program was a celebration of the lives of the three kids who attended Forest Lake Area Schools and were active at Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake.

Brian Norman, a youth football and baseball coach of Rob Kluk, remembered Rob as an "excitable young man" with a "desire to succeed and win."

Display table for Rob Kluk

In his years of coaching the youngster, Norman described Rob as "something special" and an athlete who was "tenacious" and would never quit. The boy, he said, was a leader who played sports with a passion.

Andrea Kluk was "bright, motivated and gentle," said Jim Stromberg, one of her teachers at Southwest Junior High School.

Stromberg remembered his student as one who always had "a story to tell" and a youth who loved to read. When the school would begin its daily reading appreciation time, Andrea was always the first to open a book and begin reading and never needed prompting, he said.

During an introductory assignment, Stromberg said he asked kids to write briefly about who they are. Andrea presented a general description of her interests and hobbies but focused on learning. "I'm here to work rather than play," she wrote.

Display table for Andrea Kluk

From a teacher-student relationship, Stromberg said Andrea was the kind of kid who radiated learning. "She smiles when she gets it," Stromberg said.

Erin Kluk, a honors graduate of Forest Lake High School in 2002, was in her freshman year at Beloit College.

She was remembered by Mike Bernauer and Chuck Giorgi, former teachers here, and Debra Mubashshir, assistant professor, department of religion and philosophy at Beloit.

Giorgi, who taught Erin when she attended Lino Lakes Elementary, said Erin was a gifted artist and writer who left a lasting impression on him.

Bernauer said Erin was a student who always engaged the topics of the day.

"Learning never ended for Erin," he said. "What a talent. What an intellect."

Mubashshir said she had only known Erin since the opening of school at Beloit last fall, but in that short time span, she had learned much about Forest Lake and its people through Erin.

"I've learned a lot about Forest Lake through Erin," the Beloit teacher said. "She did indeed make a difference."

A sample of Erin's artwork was on display

Numerous friends and classmates of the three youth also came to microphones to fondly remember their lost friends.

Faith Pastor Phil Peterson, who presided over the New Year's Eve service, said one of his memories of the Kluk family was that the six kids and two parents always filled a row at church services. During Christmas services this year, the entire family was together.

"The row was full again," Pastor Peterson said.

In meetings with the family in the hours following the tragic accident, Peterson said Carolyn Kluk lamented that the row would never again be full.

During the New Year's Eve service, Peterson gently disagreed with Carolyn pointing to the large audience that had turned out to support the family.

"Your family has grown....," the minister said.

A funeral service for the three youth took place on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2003 at Faith Lutheran. Interment was at Scandinavian Cemetery, Forest Lake.

(Photos by Cliff Buchan, Forest Lake Times)

Top of Page