Edward Joseph Klempay

FORT MYERS, FLA - Edward “Butch” Klempay, 95, resident of Fort Myers, Florida, passed away peacefully in the care of hospice on Sunday, November 9, 2025, after receiving years of loving and devoted in-home care with his son, Steven.

Edward was born January 16, 1930 in Youngstown, Ohio, the son of Andrew G. and Anastasia (Diersing) Klempay. He attended Saint Matthias School and Ursuline High School, graduating in 1948. After working for a time in the family house-moving business, he served stateside during the Korean War, married Alice (née Stavich) on February 20,1954 upon discharge, and settled in the Boardman–Canfield area to raise a family. Butch and Alice moved the family to the Chagrin Falls area in the 1970s for twenty years, owning homes in Tanglewood. A later return to a seasonal home in Canfield as well as a final move to Southwest Florida followed. Together, Butch and Alice enjoyed building and owning homes: we lived in eighteen different family homes throughout Ohio and Florida. Our lives were filled with family, friends, travel, recreation, holidays, and delicious food – Butch and Alice loved a gathering more than anything.

Butch was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. A lifelong aviation enthusiast, he learned to fly as a teenager in a Piper Cub and Aeronca Chief, earned his instrument rating, and owned Cessna 310s, flying his family, including pets, to Florida for vacations. He played high school football and never tired of watching a game. He was terrific with machines of all sorts (airplanes, boats, bulldozers), numbers, and a sense of direction. Some of his antics are legend: he brought the horse into the house on a Christmas Eve. He chewed on cigars, rather than smoking them, for decades, quitting cold at the age of 68 because he lost a bet. Butch worked his entire life alongside family members – father, uncles, brothers, sons – with Klempay Brothers, Andrew Klempay & Sons, Inc., and E. Masonry, Inc. in various contracting, house- and building-moving, and construction enterprises. Amiable of personality, and an enthusiastic conversationalist, Butch kept old friends and made new friends his entire life.

Edward is survived by daughters Paula Klempay of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and Lisa Klempay (Luc Descloitres) of Missoula, Montana, son Steven Klempay (Robin Kiefer) of Auburn, Ohio, four grandchildren, Denise (Jay Vincent), Andrew, Jack (Katherine Capuder), and Benjamin Klempay, and daughter-in-law Marie Klempay. He is also survived by brother Thomas Klempay of Canfield, Ohio.

Edward is preceded in death by wife Alice Stavich Klempay, son Edward A. Klempay, parents, and siblings James, Andrew, Margaret (Klempay DiBlasio), Eugene, Amelia, and Raymond Klempay.

Burial will be held on Monday, December 22 at 10:30 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery, 248 S. Belle Vista Avenue, Youngstown. Family and friends may call the same day from noon to 4:00 p.m. at Stonebridge Grille, 1497 Boardman-Canfield Rd, Boardman.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of your choice. The family is thankful for the hospice care Edward received in home and at Hospice of the Western Reserve.

Condolences can be sent to Edward's family by visiting www.higgins-reardon.com.

Arrangements are handled by Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes in Canfield.