Andy Kleppe, of Denville, N.J., died on Saturday, April 20, 2024. He was 90 years of age.
Andy was born in St. Vincent’s Hospital, Montclair, NJ July 16, 1933 to Arthur & Marguerite (Hayes) Kleppe. He attended Immaculate Conception School in Montclair through 10th grade and graduated from Montclair High School in 1951. While there was a member of its basketball & golf teams. He graduated from The Citadel, Charleston, S.C. in 1955 with a B.S. in Commerce.
After graduation he served 2 years in the U. S. Army as a 1st Lieutenant stationed at Livingston & Middletown, NJ Nike bases, USAF Radar Station, Navesink, NJ and Ft Hancock on Sandy Hook.
In 1958 he joined Prudential Insurance Company, Newark as a management trainee rising to an Investment Analyst in its Commercial & Industrial Loan Dept. He attended Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark at nights while working at Prudential, graduating in 1962 with a Juris Doctor Degree. Upon passing the New Jersey Bar Exam in September, 1962 he joined the Newark firm of Darby and McDonough as an Associate. In 1968 he joined Caldwell attorney David F. Brandley. They remained as partners in Brandley & Kleppe until David’s death in 2006. Andy was joined in 2006 by Donald O’Connor and James Boutillier continuing the practice as Brandley, Kleppe, O’Connor & Boutillier, LLP. In 2017 he continued as a partner at Boutillier Kleppe, LLP. During his law practice Andy concentrated in real estate, municipal law, estate planning & estate administration. He served as Caldwell Municipal Court Prosecutor 1966-1969, West Caldwell Zoning Board Attorney 1965-1967 & 1984-1987, Member Essex County Ethics Committee 1988-1992, and Member Essex County Probate Early Settlement Panel 1995-2010. He was counsel to the Mortgage Department of West Essex Bank until 2003 when the bank was acquired by Kearny Federal Saving. Andy retired from active practice of law December 31, 2019 but continues as an informal advisor to family, former clients and friends.
Andy & his family were parishioners of St. Aloysius Church Caldwell where he served as a lector, Lay Trustee and as president of its Holy Name Society and Parish Council. He was later a parishioner of Blessed Sacrament, Roseland.
Andy was active in community affairs serving as a member of the Caldwell Board of Health, a baseball and basketball coach for the Caldwell-West Caldwell Recreation Dept, West Essex Community Health Service as a Board Member for 6 years including President for 3 years, Family Service of West Essex as a Board Member and as President 1981-82, Montclair Community Hospital Board of Trustees, Rotary Club of the Caldwells as Director, President and named a Paul Harris Fellow, and as a member of Troop 6 Committee Boy Scouts of America.
He was a past member of the American Bar Association, and a current member of the New Jersey State Bar Association & the Essex County Bar Association which in 2012 honored him for 50 years of service as a New Jersey Attorney. He also was Past President of the Montclair-West Essex Bar Association.
Andy was a member, Trustee and Past President (1997-98) of Essex Fells Country Club, as well as a member of Rockaway River Country Club and Sailfish Point Golf Club, Stuart, FL. He enjoyed golf as a member of the New Jersey Senior Golf Association since 1995.
In 1958 Andy married Nancy Downey RN, whom he met while a student at Immaculate Conception High School. They resided in the West Essex area until Nancy’s death in 1999. Their oldest child Edward died in 1990 in a Navy helicopter accident.
In 2002 he married Beverly Braniff Jeck of Mountain Lakes where they resided until 2017 when they relocated to The Oaks at Denville. They spent most winters at Sailfish Point, Stuart, FL. He happily joined her on her lifelong love of travel to Normandy, Russia, Scandinavia, Tanzania, China, Morocco, Antarctica, Tuscany and her tri-annual Braniff-Jeck Family Reunions across the U. S. They were both active in The Oaks at Denville Life Plan Community Residents Association.
In addition to his wife Beverly, he is survived by:
Edward’s wife Lori (Salzman) Kleppe-Morton and her husband Rick Morton of Palm Beach Gardens, FL & Mantoloking, NJ and her children Drew Kleppe & his wife Carolyn Wolsey of Centennial, CO and their son Hayden and Evan Kleppe & his wife Laura (Mueller) of Holmdel, NJ and their daughter Nellie Grace.
His son Bryan of Maplewood, his wife LuAnne (Osterhoudt) and their children Sarah, Natalie and Gavin
His daughter Carolyn Kleppe-Collins of Chester, her husband Stephen Collins and their children Audrey, Quinn, William, Claire and Graham.
His son Michael, Col. USAF (Ret.) of Woodland Park, CO, his wife Linene (Blanton) and their children Madigan, Andrew McCoy, Marin and Melissa.
His brother Arthur of Apopka, FL and his wife Elsie (Christensen)
Beverly’s daughter Tammy Jeck Beckenthal of Blairstown and her husband George
Beverly’s daughter Cindy Jeck Davis and her companion Pete Parlapiano of Chatham, NJ & Block Island, RI and her children Blaine Davis and his wife Lauren (Boller) of Atlanta, GA and Corben Davis & his fiancé’ Kristin Ochs of Columbus, OH
Donations: Friends of Glen Gray, 200 Midvale Mountain Rd., Mahwah, NJ 07430
In Memory of Ed Kleppe, Eagle Scout & Andy Kleppe.