Gregory Kleckner

Gregory Kleckner passed away suddenly at York Hospital on March 9, 2026 at the age of 80. He was the son of Susan and Frank Kleckner.

Greg graduated from York High in 1964 and built a remarkable career in precision metal stamping. A talented tool and die maker, he began at GTE Sylvania, advanced to close tolerance Wire EDM programming at Burndy, and later designed intricate die components as a contractor at Dupont Connector, all without the benefit of a formal engineering degree. In his free time he pursued his lifelong passion for cars, fabricating race car parts, autocrossing his well-known mid-engined Corvair “Nadar’s Nightmare,” drag racing, watching sprint cars at The Grove, and maintaining his GTO, Firenza, and Trans Am. He also enjoyed shuttling BMWs from the Baltimore port to Al Diehl’s dealership.

Following a serious stroke and early retirement, Greg found quiet pleasure in tending his garden and sharpening his mind with New York Times crosswords.

He was predeceased by his longtime companion Donna Gladfelter and his sister Sylvia Goodling. Greg is survived by his sisters Susan Spittle and her husband John, Carol Zinn, and his niece Angela Zinn. His family remains grateful for the friends and kind neighbors who looked in on him over the years, and for the compassionate care provided by the doctors and staff in York Hospital’s Surgical ICU.