Gaylen Ray Kloepper

Hastings resident Gaylen Ray Kloepper, 70, passed away Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, NE.

Memorial Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, September 5, at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Hastings with Pastor Paul Ozbun officiating. There will be no visitation or burial. Memorials may be given to the family for a memorial to be established at a later date. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Gaylen’s obituary and click the play button shown toward the bottom of the page. 

Gaylen was born on December 13, 1954, at Neligh, NE to Harlan A. and Viola M. (Rickard) Kloepper. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1973 and he enjoyed serving the community through his work with Hastings Utilities in the water department, retiring in 2017 after 37 years of service.

On June 20, 1981, he married the love of his life, Varena M. Schlueter. Together, they built a life centered around their children and grandsons.

His passions included working on cars, fishing, hunting, gardening, and most of all, spending time with family. He enjoyed many home renovation projects and had a solution for every problem. He was patient, kind, ornery, and could fix anything. If you have any photos of Gaylen, the family would be grateful if you would share them. 

Gaylen was preceded in death by his father, Harlan Kloepper; father-in-law, Marvin L. Schlueter; brothers-in-law, Al Weber and John Langdon.

SURVIVORS:
Wife: 
    Varena Kloepper – Hastings, NE
Daughter & Son-in-law: 
    Kimberly & Jorge Perez – Hastings, NE
Son & Daughter-in-law: 
    Jason & Crystal Kloepper – Doniphan, NE
    Grandsons: Kade Kloepper
    Kolt Kloepper
Mother: 
    Viola Kloepper
Sister: 
    Viann Weber
Nephew: 
    Aaron Weber
Brothers-in-law & Sister-in-law: 
    Dan & Karmen Schlueter
    Phillip Schlueter
Sister-in-law: 
    Hope Langdon
Many Nieces, Nephews, other extended family, and friends