Dr. Lloyd Herbert Kloppe

Dr. Lloyd Herbert Kloppe, DVM, DACT passed away peacefully at his home in Buckeye, Arizona on Sunday, July 24th, twelve days after his 67th birthday. He was surrounded by loving family and friends. Raised in New Haven, Missouri, Lloyd was the son of Herbert and Pauline Kloppe. He is survived by wife Jana, son Bryan, daughter-in-law

Amy, granddaughter Taylor, siblings Barb Scheer

(husband Ralph), Larry Kloppe (wife Lana), and

Wayne Kloppe (wife Kathy) as well as many loving nieces and nephews. Lloyd graduated with New

Haven High School’s class of 1973 and went on to earn a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri in 1980. After four years in mixed animal practice at Agua Fria Animal Hospital in Goodyear, Dr. Kloppe went on to complete a residency in Large Animal Reproduction at Texas A&M University. He then became a Diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists. In 1988, both Lloyd and Jana opened Durango Equine Veterinary Clinic and Command Performance Horse Farms in Buckeye, Arizona. They built, owned and managed both the practice and farms together for 34 years. Dr. Kloppe served as a member of the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board from 1995 through 2000 and was awarded the Arizona Equine Practitioner of the year in 1997. He served as the Society for Theriogenology’s conference chairman in 1998 and President in 1998-99. Between 2011 and 2014 he served as a board member for the American College of Theriogenologists.

Dr. Kloppe was loved by his employees, colleagues, and clients who considered him a friend. He mentored many veterinarians, and regularly hosted students at the clinic while never missing one of Bryan’s baseball games, swim meets, band concerts, phone calls or the chance to play catch or hit in the batting cage. He also volunteered to coach Bryan’s teams through little league. He enjoyed traveling the world alongside Jana and Bryan, making family time and their experiences his top priority. Lloyd was an avid sports fan. He had season tickets for the Diamondbacks since their inaugural season, highlighted by attending 75 games- including the World Series victory- with his family in 2001. He was a passionate runner, hiker, and adventurer and finished his first of 8 marathons at the age of 55. In the last two years, he hiked and summited a 14,000 foot peak in Colorado, went sky-diving with daughter-in-law Amy and also managed in one day to complete the 28 mile Rim-to-Rim hike of the Grand Canyon. The latter feat was accomplished just one month before undergoing surgery for the rare form of brain cancer that would take his life. He was blessed to know his granddaughter Taylor and read stories to her every chance he could. Lloyd loved to serve at church, supporting the start of both Christ’s Church of the Valley and of the Refinery Christian Church and frequented mission trips with a desire to help those both in his community and around the world. His life verse was Philippians 4:4-13. He was generous to all people with both his time and with his finances. As a leader, he led by his example, inspiring those around him to both fulfilling work and better lives. He had a brilliant way of teaching through demonstration with incredible patience, kindness, and humility. Those close to him came to believe that the Lord must have given him more time in the day than most and he lived live to the fullest.

It is difficult to do justice for a man who was a close to perfect as it gets. Lloyd Herbert Kloppe was a great man and humble servant leader who lived the words of the Bible, without fear, and possessed a genius of simplicity even in the most difficult and trying times. He surrounded himself with amazing friends. His judgement was trusted by all. He never spoke a bad word about anyone or complained, even during his hard fought cancer battle. We have also yet to find anyone with a bad word to say about him. The joy in his eyes radiated love for life, family, friends and the Lord. His legacy lives on in all who knew him, leaving the world a better place.

Celebration of life (lunch to follow):

10:00am Saturday, October 15th

Refinery Christian Church

16721 W Indian School Rd

Goodyear, AZ 85395

Livestream link- https://fb.me/e/31PAwMAss