William Peter Kleckner, 58, of Belgium, WI, went to be with the Lord on Monday, December 16, 2024, after a courageous 20-month battle with brain cancer. He was born on October 11, 1966, to Francis and Betty (Jacoby) Kleckner.

A devoted and hardworking farmer, Bill was instrumental in keeping the family farm running alongside his parents. In 2023, the Kleckner family was honored with the Century Farm Award, marking the family's presence on the farm.

Bill's work ethic was unmatched. He maintained the tradition of late-morning milking, ensuring more time in the fields during the late afternoons. Around 6 p.m., he would often take a break to catch part of Jeopardy! before heading back out for evening chores. Bill stopped milking and gave up the cows "his girls", on Valentine's Day 2023, to focus instead on raising steers and cash cropping. Just a few months later, he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Bill was a man of faith and a devoted Catholic. He could often be found chatting with neighbors after church, sharing laughs and fostering a sense of community. During his illness, he leaned on his strong faith, listening to the rosary daily with his parents. He also enjoyed attending auctions, an occasional Dairy Expo, and fondly recalled a train trip to California and a visit to see his brother Paul in Florida.

An avid collector, Bill had a deep appreciation for magazines, comic books, movies, and books—his ever-growing collection included subjects on farming, cows, old barns, health, home repair and religion. Known for his wit and quiet wisdom, Bill was great at figuring things out and fixing what was broken.

As a youth, he was involved in 4-H, later continuing as a dedicated coach of the Holy Cross 4-H softball team for 13 years, seeing everyone had a chance to play.

Bill will be deeply missed by his parents, Francis and Betty Kleckner; his siblings, Kenneth of Belgium, Paul of Lehigh Acres, FL, and Karen (Mike) Domitrz of East Troy, WI; nephews Anthony (Jordan Daley), Bryan, Steven (Frida), and Matthew (Anneli Ryan); great-nephew & nieces Avery, Scarlett, and Sabrina; as well as countless aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Peter and Anastasia (Strauss) Kleckner and John and Mildred (Schneider) Jacoby; aunts Virginella (Kleckner) Gonwa, Rosemary (Kleckner) Feyereisen, and Agnes (Kleckner) Huiras; uncles Roman Kleckner, Roman Gonwa, Joe Barrett, Alois Huiras and Roger Noll; and cousins Lisa Huiras, Joseph Barrett, Michael Block, and Steven Jacoby.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 6pm on Friday Dec 27th at Divine Savior Parish-Holy Cross Chapel, 5330 County Road B, Belgium, WI. The family will greet visitors at the church from 3:30-5:50pm. Bill will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery on Sat Dec 28th at 10am.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Froedtert Hope Clinic and Froedtert Hospital for their compassionate care throughout Bill's cancer treatments.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill's name to the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer's Association or a charity of your choice.