Dick Klenz was a Wisconsin lad who went to the Korean War, serving there as a Master Sergeant. In civilian life, he became a U.S. postal inspector, serving in locations like Washington, San Francisco, Duluth, and Memphis — choosing to retire in the latter area. He settled in Germantown with his family (several of whom — wife Mickey, son Rick, daughters Vicki and Jan — had names that rhymed or resonated with his own).
He became a U.S. postal inspector, serving in locations like Washington, San Francisco, Duluth, and Memphis — choosing to retire in the latter area. He settled in Germantown with his family.
Dick, as he is universally called, is president of the Retired Postal Inspectors, both locally and nationally. He served for years with Barnabas Builders, Service Over Self, and Habitat for Humanity, and is on the boards of all three organizations. He is a member of the Racial Reconciliation Council at Christ United Methodist Church and has assisted in projects of the Public Issues Forum and the League of Women Voters.
A poll worker since 1996, he has served as an election judge for the Shelby County Election Commission.
One of his longest-standing commitments is with the Germantown Democratic Club, which he has served as an officer for decades, including 14 recent years as president. He has been largely responsible over the years for the healthy turnouts at meetings and activities of the club, which serves as an umbrella organization for Democrats living throughout Shelby County.
Dick Klenz has had sadness this year, having lost his wife of 71 years, Marilyn “Mickey” in August.
He was reminded, on his 90th birthday last week, of how revered he is, and not just on one side of the political aisle.
At the annual holiday party last Friday of the Germantown Democratic Club, Klenz was presented with four elaborate proclamations in his honor, all of them a surprise to the recipient. One came from Speaker Cameron Sexton of the state House of Representatives and was presented by state Representative Dwayne Thompson; another came from Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the County Commission and was presented by Commissioner Reginald Milton. Two more were, respectively, from Sheriff Floyd Bonner, who did the honors himself, and from Congressman Steve Cohen, through the good offices of current club president David Cambron.
We add our own kudos and best wishes.
• Two educationally related items at year’s end, both of which will warm some cockles:
(1) The Tennessee Department of Education, the state Achievement School District (ASD), and Shelby County Schools (SCS) have made a joint announcement that four schools previously administered by the ASD — Frayser Achievement Elementary School, Corning Achievement Elementary School, Georgian Hills Achievement Elementary School, and Whitney Achievement School — will return to Shelby County Schools following the 2021-22 school year.
The shift was welcomed by SCS Superintendent Joris Ray, as well as by state Representative Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis), who has made the return of Memphis schools to local administration a major focus over the years. Said Parkinson: “I’ve always said, ‘If school improvement was easy, SCS would’ve already done it.’”
(2) Despite the state legislature’s having made a point during the recent special session of authorizing partisan elections for school board seats, the chairs of both Shelby County parties, Democrat Gabby Salinas and Republican Cary Vaughn, have said, at least for the coming year, “Thanks, but no thanks.” For which responses, we say thanks.
