John W. “Jack” Kloet, 57, a resident of Bettendorf, died Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, at his residence after a brief and courageous battle with melanoma.
Visitation will be Monday, January 17, from 4-7 p.m. at the Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home, 614 Main St., Davenport with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 417 Main Street, Davenport.
John William Kloet was born on August 1, 1953, in Peoria, Illinois, son of Martin and Rosemary (Devitt) Kloet. He was a graduate of the University of Illinois in 1975, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. Jack was united in marriage to Mary Bucher on July 3, 1976, in Chicago, Illinois.
John enjoyed a long and dedicated career at Deere and Company, which took him around the globe and back. He began his career at Deere during college as an intern with the Insurance Division. After graduation, he earned his CPA and started with the Deere Internal Audit Staff. His various accounting positions with Deere included the Milan Parts Warehouse, Waterloo Tractor Operations, Waterloo Engine Works and Timberjack Company. He took the post of Vice President of John Deere-China Operations in September, 2004. John and Mary spent 2 ½ years in Beijing, China, returning home in May, 2007. In 2009, he was named the Director of Finance and Business Development for Russia and the CIS. In September of 2010, John and his team received the 1st ever Chairman’s Award, and also in 2010 was awarded the Agriculture and Turf Division Presidents’ Award of Excellence.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Assumption High School or the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Jack is survived by his wife, Mary, Bettendorf; daughter and son-in-law, Kathleen and Brian Jacobs, granddaughter, Carly; New Market, MD; a son, Paul Kloet, Chicago, IL; his parents, Martin and Rosemary Kloet, Peoria, IL; brothers, Peter (Mary) Kloet, Naples, FL and Tom (Margaret) Kloet, Toronto, Canada; his mother-in-law, Irene Bucher, Venice, FL; brothers-in-law, Steve (Irene) Bucher, Lisle, IL, John (Lisa) Bucher, Chicago, IL, and Mark (Mary) Bucher, Arlington Heights, IL; a sister-in-law, Ann (Jim) Mertes, Arlington Heights, IL; and 13 nieces and nephews.
Jack was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Anthony Bucher. Online remembrances and condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Jack’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.
