Dennis Robert Kling

Dennis Kling, 84, of Austin, Texas passed away December 9, 2024, after a brief illness. Dennis was born in Fairbanks, Alaska to Earnest and Mildred Kling. His mother and two brothers eventually settled in Bakersfield, California where Dennis attended elementary school, Bakersfield High School and Bakersfield Community College. He met his wife, Joan, in 1964, while both attended Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California. They were married in September 1967. Shortly after their marriage, he was employed with Carnation Company in Los Angeles as a Transportation Analyst.

Dennis worked as a brakeman and switchman for Southern Pacific Railroad in the San Joaquin and Los Angeles Divisions throughout his college years. He earned a BS Degree in Business-Marketing/Transportation in 1971 and returned to Southern Pacific RR at the management level. He was assigned to the El Centro and Imperial Valley Railroad in El Centro, CA where their first son, Murphy, was born in 1972. They returned to the Los Angeles area in 1973 and settled in San Gabriel, California. Their son, Michael, was born in 1974 and daughter, Morgan, in 1978. In 1979 Dennis transferred to the San Joaquin Division of the SP Railroad and the family moved to Bakersfield, California where he grew up. After about 8 years there, Dennis took a position with Railtex Inc., a shortline railroad management copy headquartered in San Antonio, TX and the family moved to Austin, Texas in 1986. He was manager of the Austin and Northwestern Railroad, and later a Regional Manager for Railtex in charge of various shortline operations throughout the U.S. and Nova Scotia, Canada.

Dennis retired in July 2007 and returned to one of his passions, golf. He played regularly at Morris Williams in Austin. When he wasn’t on the golf course, he was working Sudoku, the daily crossword puzzle, and reading hundreds of books downloaded from the public library. During retirement he and Joan enjoyed travelling to Italy, New Zealand, and several road trips in the US, to and from Southern California and Boston, MA to see family, and most recently the original Route 66 from Santa Monica to Chicago, and then the River Road, from New Orleans to Itasca State Park, Minnesota, the headwaters of the Mississippi River.

Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, and brother Neal Kling. He is survived by his wife, Joan, three children, Murphy Kling of Round Rock, TX, Michael Kling (Jennifer) and two grandsons, Carter and Charlie of Menifee, CA, and Morgan Kling (Craig Riggs) of Boston, MA, brother Stephen Kling (Lynne) of Alameda, CA, brother-in-law Jim Dale of Irvine, CA, and many nieces and nephews. Dennis requested no services.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later time.

Donations in his memory may be made to a charity of your choice.