"Some of the best skiing is in the rain"

Stanley J. Klima, age 94, has finished his last run. He passed away August 14, 2025 the same way he came into the world – at home. He was the son of Albert and Stella (Chojnacki). The beloved husband of 59 years to Mary Ellen (nee Maher) and loving father to Catherine Gletherow (Jamie), John (Jill), Mary Lynn Golliher (Doug), Carol Auth (Rodney) and Jim (Angela). Stanley (Stash) was an U.S. Army Veteran, NASA engineer and an avid skier.

Stash was always slightly amazed at how his life turned out. Hailing from the small town of Buck Lake in Michigan's upper peninsula, his military service showed him the world and, when he returned home, the GI Bill paved the way for him to go to Michigan Technological University, leave work on the family farm and in the mines, and eventually land a job at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio where he worked as a metallurgical engineer on research and testing that was used in the space program.

He was heard to say, "Hard work pays off, but you still need a little bit of luck."

Stash spent over 50 years volunteering for the National Ski Patrol working at both Brandywine Ski Resort in Ohio and Holiday Valley Ski Resort in New York.

Always eager to make one more turn, he was fond of telling friends and family that "some of the best skiing is in the rain" – a not-so-subtle reference to that fact that east coast skiers were a hardy breed and love of skiing overrode snow conditions.

Stash has nine grandchildren – Travis Auth (Maggie), Marin Auth, Hallie Auth, Julia Auth, Isabel Auth, Luke Klima, Kate Klima, Wesley Golliher and Owen Golliher – and one great-grandchild – Dorothy Auth.

He is the brother of Nancy Horansky and the late Eleanor Boehm, Albert Klima, Mary Stanek, Jean Musial, Violet Miller, Frank Klima, Walter Klima, Ed Klima, and Leonard Klima.

A Funeral Mass will be held Monday, August 18, 2025 at The Church of St. Clarence (30106 Lorain Rd. North Olmsted) at 11:00 AM. The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed on the St. Clarence web site. Friends may call at the church one hour prior to Mass, and are welcome to join a luncheon next door afterwards. Interment will be held Tuesday at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery (Seville, OH) at 9:15 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Miracle City Hospice (9150 South Hills Blvd., #100, Parma, OH 44147) or the National Ski Patrol, nsp.org

Funeral Mass Livestream