Mrs. Ethel Klingenberg
07/20/1931 - 01/19/2026
Ethel Klingenberg, 94, of Newton, NJ, passed away on Monday, January 19, 2026, in her home at the Bristol Glen United Methodist Community in Newton. Ethel was born on July 20, 1931, in Philadelphia, PA to the late Otto and Marie Aurelio. She was one of five siblings, all now deceased. Raised in Philadelphia, she attended Fort Wayne Bible College in Fort Wayne, Indiana where she met and later married fellow student Jerry Lee Klingenberg. The couple resided in Philadelphia before building a family life in Southern and then Northern New Jersey. In 1997 they retired to South Hill, Virginia, which truly became “home”. For the next twenty years they enjoyed their life together there and friendships in the community, including the South Hill United Methodist Church. Ethel particularly enjoyed volunteering with the Upper Room thrift store. Throughout her life Ethel was a committed member of the local United Methodist Church. Over the years she enjoyed singing in the choir, participating in fellowship activities, and leading projects with the United Methodist Women ministry. Ethel and Jerry had been married for 63 years when Jerry passed away in 2018. Ethel moved back to New Jersey in 2021 to be closer to her family. Ethel loved walking outdoors, observing the creatures that crossed her path and watching nature at work through the seasons. She was an avid reader, bird watcher and food enthusiast. Beloved wife to the late, Jerry Lee Klingenberg, Ethel is survived by her daughters, Andrea Klingenberg, Joyce Klingenberg and Michelle Romero, son-in-law Kirk Romero and granddaughter Zoe Romero. A family graveside service will be held at the Crestview Memorial Park in South Hill on March 16 at 11am. Online condolences may be made through our website, www.crowderhitecrews.com. Crowder-Hite-Crews Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Klingenberg family locally.
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About Us
At Crowder-Hite-Crews we’ve always been proud to say that we are large enough to serve and small enough to care. When you choose us, we consider this a sacred trust between your family and ours. We offer a full range of funeral service, whether for a traditional funeral or cremation, and we are able to assist families worldwide. In February of 2004 we installed a crematorium to better serve our cremation families. We now do all cremations in our facility, saving transport to another location for this service. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the cremation process.
Family owned and operated since 1972.
Situated on a 3-acre pastoral setting.
1st Place in Reader’s Choice for Funeral Service (17 years running).
Staff members are active in many civic organizations in the area, including Lions, Rotary, Moose Lodge, Masons, Ruritan, and Chamber of Commerce.
Owners are former Presidents of the Virginia Funeral Directors Association and Southside Funeral Directors Association.
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Crowder-Hite-Crews Funeral Home & Crematory
PO Box 422
1504 N. Mecklenburg Ave.
South Hill, VA 23970
Local (434) 447-7171
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Condolences
I loved speaking with both Mrs. and Mr. Klingenberg. They were incredibly sweet individuals and I never saw them with a frown on their face at church in South Hill. I always was nervous when my grandfather, Mr. Wall, kept mispronouncing their last name as, “Klinefelt.” But it never bothered them one bit. I can’t think of a lady exuding more class, dignity and grace than Ethel Klingenberg, and I wish her Godspeed in Eternity.
Sympathy
Ethel was one of the sweetest ladies I ever met Truly genuine Jerry was also a joy to be around Really enjoyed getting to know them through the Upper Room Prayers are with you
With sympathy
Mrs. Klingenberg was one of the sweetest ladies I’ve ever known. I have missed both her and husband so much! They were both wonderful neighbors. They loved their family and talked about them often. They were very active in the community and had many friends. I have such precious memories of Mr. and Mrs. Klingenberg! Prayers for their three daughters and loved ones.
Condolences to Ethel’s family. What a sweet lady she was!
Ethel and Jerry were dear friends of ours. Two of the nicest people in the world. Definitely Christian people He was a wonderful Sunday School .teacher. When my husband was ill, she cooked delicious things for him. May God be with her family and friends in the months ahead without her. Lots of love from my home to yours