Paul Benjamin Klaus

Paul Benjamin “Ben” Klaus passed away peacefully in the early hours of July 8, 2023, in Denver, Colorado. Ben was surrounded by family during his final hours.

Ben was born on September 2, 1933, in Manchester, Iowa to Bernice and Paul Klaus. He graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in civil engineering which led to life long career with Iowa Highway Commission/Iowa Department of Transportation. Ben held many positions as a civil engineer from designing bridges and culverts to coordinating large state and county projects. Ben married his high school sweetheart Mary Messerli and they settled in Ames, Iowa to raise their family. Ben was the archetype Midwestern family man. He was a loving husband, a nurturing father, and very handy at keeping up his modest house and yard. Ben retired in 1996 and moved to Ft. Myers, Florida. Ben loved all sorts of outdoor activities, including fishing, camping, gardening, golfing, sailing, bicycling, and kayaking. He was unmatched at crossword and jigsaw puzzles. Ben’s faith was an important part of his life and he dedicated his many talents and service to the Lutheran Church. Ben also volunteered for many non-profit organizations including the Dumb Friends League, Meals on Wheels, and the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. In particular, Ben and Mary spent countless hours volunteering at the Refuge visitor’s center and kayaking in Tarpon Bay to remove abandoned monofilament line and fishing tackle from the mangrove swamps.
In 2022, Ben and Mary moved to Denver after hurricane Ian. In Denver Ben continued to enjoy puzzles and a friendly game of cribbage over a pint of craft beer. In 2023, he contracted COVID and after a series of complications was unable to continue on. He will be greatly missed by family and friends. He was preceded in death by daughter Jane and his sister Carol. He is survived by his wife Mary, son Jeff, granddaughters Emma, Rachel, and Sarah, and his brother Tom.

No public service is planned. Donations in Ben’s memory can be made to the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society (dingdarlingsociety.org)