June 14, 1937 – October 4, 2026
Del Kloeker, of Seymour, Indiana, passed away on October 4, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on June 14, 1937, to the late Walter and Lena (Schroer) Kloeker.
Del graduated from Immanuel Lutheran School in 1951, Seymour (Shields) High School in 1955, and Purdue University in January 1961. He earned his B.S. degree from the School of Civil Engineering at Purdue. He served in the Indiana National Guard from 1960 to 1964.
Dale was baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sauers, in 1937, and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in 1951. He married Janet Sue Peters on August 28, 1960, at Redeemer Lutheran Church. Janet passed away on February 17, 2020.
His children include Sara (Brian) Reedy, Trafalgar, Douglas (Lisa) Kloeker, Seymour, and Dr. Susanne (Greg) Rhoades, Avon; and grandchildren, Andrew (Kristen) Reedy, Greenwood, Patrick (Mia) Reedy, Connersville, and Elizabeth (Austin) Kirkham, Greenwood. Other survivors include his sister, Carol (Wendell) Borcherding, and great-grandchildren Levi, Lucy, and Lily.
Del was licensed as a Professional Engineer in 1965. During his career as a highway and traffic engineer, he worked at the Seymour District Office of the Indiana State Highway Commission (now INDOT) from 1961 to 1969. Starting in 1970, he worked as a consulting engineer with R.H. Ludwig Engineering in Seymour, and in 1973, for SIECO, Inc. (now Strand Associates) in Columbus, Indiana.
In 1983, he started Traffic Engineering Studies, Inc., a company involved in traffic engineering and in the sale and rental of traffic engineering study equipment. In 1993, the company was merged with D.E. McGillem and Associates in Indianapolis. After 1 1/2 years, this company closed its doors, and Mr. Kloeker started Kloeker Engineering, P.C., also involved in highway and traffic engineering projects. In 2006, Mr. Kloeker retired from the active practice of engineering. During his career, he was involved with the Institute of Traffic (now Transportation) Engineers as a Fellow Member, serving as President of the Indiana Section in 1972, and as District III Director (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia) from 1990 to 1992. He was a member of ASCE, the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Del was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, but had previously been a member of Immanuel and Zion Churches in Seymour, and an active participant at University Lutheran Chapel in West Lafayette while at Purdue. During his time at Purdue, he was a member of Beta Sigma Psi Fraternity, the Lutheran fraternity. He held various offices at Beta Sig and at Redeemer during his life. Camp Lakeview (Lakeview Ministries) was a favorite organization of Del’s, having served on the boards of the camp and its Foundation. He was a founding member of the Foundation at Redeemer in 1982, and served as Treasurer from 2004 to 2019.
Del liked to travel with Janet, especially to the beautiful national parks, particularly Yellowstone and Acadia. Del and Janet had many memorable vacation trips with their children.
Del was a Life Member of the Purdue Alumni Association and a member of the John Purdue Club and enjoyed backing the Boilermakers. He enjoyed golf but never attained his goal of being an above-average golfer. He assisted in the original layout of Shadowood (formerly Sandy Creek) Golf Course in 1972. He had been a member of the Seymour Rotary Club, serving as President in 1992, and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a member of the Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce from 1985 to 1995. He served as Secretary of the Board of Directors for Community Provisions of Jackson County from 2004 to 2012.
Del lived the last few years of his life in Walnut Manor at Lutheran Community Home. He loved his time there and the friendships that he made. He instituted an “Armchair Traveler” program for the residents of the Manor and Assisted Living, where he would show PowerPoint slides of different places he had traveled, as well as places he thought would be of interest to the residents. He also organized many get-togethers for his Walnut Manor friends and recently started “Donuts with Del” one Saturday a month.
Funeral services for Del Kloeker will be conducted at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 504 N. Walnut St., Seymour, IN 47274, on Friday, October 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., with Rev. Andrew Currao officiating. Burial will follow at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Seymour. Visitation will be at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Redeemer Lutheran Church Foundation or the Redeemer Lutheran Church Building Fund.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Scotty Wessel and Jon Pace at Burkholder Chapel of Thorne Family Funeral Homes in Seymour.
Memories and condolences may be shared, and flowers may be ordered at www.ThorneFunerals.com.
