SWANNANOA — Father Matthew James Leonard, pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church, passed away on December 28, 2019, in Black Mountain at the age of 57. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and parish community.
The Vigil for the Deceased will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, at St. Margaret Mary Church, 102 Andrew Place, Swannanoa, with Bishop Peter J. Jugis as the celebrant.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Bishop Jugis at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, at the church.
A Virginia native, Father Leonard was born on July 23, 1962, to the late Cdr. Warren Leonard and Johnnie (Cummins) Leonard. He was a Tri-State Golden Gloves boxing champion during his high school years. He joined the U.S. Navy at 17, and it was there while serving his country that he heard his true calling to follow the Lord. He read and studied the Bible during his years in the Navy and credited his late father for teaching him faith through example.
After graduating in 1994 from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, he entered St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Charlotte on June 6, 1998, by Bishop William G. Curlin.
During more than 20 years of priestly ministry, Father Leonard served at four parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte, including St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir. He had served as pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church since 2009.
His priestly ministry centered on serving the Lord and his parishioners. On the 10th anniversary of his priesthood, he told the Catholic diocese's newspaper, "The greatest gift is to be able to know Christ better by serving people."
With honesty, warmth and a heart as big as he was, he shared the hardships and difficulties from his youth in his homilies and interactions with his parishioners – preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to encourage anyone who may be struggling in life. God is always present in our lives, he often said. "We all need to discern the activity of God in history, in my life, in your life. We all belong to something greater than what's here."
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Patrick and Christopher. He is survived by his five siblings, Cynthia Ticknor, Cathleen Schmidt, Therese Merranko, Michael Leonard and Mary Roy; and many nieces and nephews.
His family wishes to extend sincere thanks to his parish family at St. Margaret Mary Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to St. Margaret Mary Church, 102 Andrew Pl., Swannanoa, N.C. 28778.
Harwood Home for Funerals of Black Mountain was in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald
HIGH POINT — Father George Martin Kloster Jr. passed away on Dec. 24, 2019, at Pennybyrn at Maryfield in High Point.
A Memorial Service and Committal Rites will be held at a later date in Murphy.
He was born on October 28, 1943, in Utica, N.Y., to George Martin and Helen Currier Kloster. At the age of 10, his family moved to Clayton, N.C., where his father was the manager of a textile mill. After graduating from Clayton High School, George attended St. Mary's College in Kentucky. He studied theology at the Pontifical North American College and was ordained a Catholic priest on Dec. 20, 1968, (Class of 1969) at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Father Kloster spent the next 45 years serving as pastor in seven parishes across North Carolina.
He served as pastor of St. William Church in Murphy and Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission in Hayesville for 15 years before retiring from ministry in 2013 and continuing to make his home in Murphy.
In 2018, he celebrated his 50th anniversary of priesthood.
Father Kloster was known for his charitable works and devotion to ecumenism. He served the North Carolina Council of Churches in many areas, including as president from 1986 to 1988, and he received its Distinguished Service Award in 1991. He was an advocate for social action and justice and was awarded the Catholic Charities USA Volunteer of the Year in 2013. Also that year, a portion of U.S. Highway 64 in western North Carolina was named the "Rev. George Kloster Highway" to honor his commitment in church, civic and community affairs in Clay and Cherokee counties.
He loved to travel, both in the United States and worldwide. He led pilgrimages to Israel and throughout Europe and traveled with brother priests all over the world. Wherever he went, he visited churches and met with the people to understand what life was like there.
Family was very important to him. He regularly traveled to visit with relatives across the country and was excited to receive visits from family and friends at his home. He was instrumental in organizing Kloster family reunions, which brought together relatives from across the United States and from the family's ancestral village of Gross-Zimmern in Germany.
He is survived by a sister, Dolores Kloster Quinn, of Northglenn, Colo.; sister-in-law, Beverly S. Kloster, of New Hartford, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews.
Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his brothers, James "Jimmy" Kloster and Francis "Fran" Kloster, and his sister, Barbara Kloster Jones.
Father Kloster’s family appreciates the kind and loving care given to him while he was a resident at Pennybyrn.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the North Carolina Council of Churches (www.ncchurches.org) or Catholic Relief Services (www.crs.org), two organizations that promote unity, justice and charity.
Condolences to the Kloster family may be mailed to Tim Kloster, 318 Murphy Road, Youngsville, N.C. 27596.
— Catholic News Herald