Leonard A. Dr. Klafta
August 13, 2007
Klafta, Jr., Dr. Leonard A., 69, Neurosurgeon, died Monday, August 13, 2007. Visitation with the family 6:00 ~ 9:00 P.M., Thursday, Downing Lahey Mortuary East. Survived by, wife, Sandra (Pearson) Klafta; first wife, Roberta Klafta, mother of Catherine and Philip; step-children, Brian, Michelle, Tara and Kelly, all of IL; grandchildren, “The G-Men” ~ Gunnar, Gannon, Garret and Grayson; and Brett, Taylor, Tera, Ashley, Madelyn and Ryan; sisters, Helen Kelley and Barbara Guertin both of Kankakee, IL; numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial has been established with the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education, 1010 N. Kansas, Wichita, KS, 67214.
Visitation with the family 6:00 ~ 9:00 P.M., Thursday, Downing Lahey Mortuary East.
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Dear family of Dr.Klafta, My 26 year old son is alive and well and a college graduate thanks to the medical skills of your husband, father and grandfather. I am sure that he saved many lives during his career. I thank God every day for my son, Ted, who was gravely injured in a jet-ski accident. Dr. Klafta repaired the damage so well that one would hardly know that there was ever an injury to his head. I will pray for peace for all of you.
Len came to Wichita to practice Neurosurgery in 1987, one year after I did. He was a seasoned Neurosurgeon, articulate, direct and clearly a gem of the venerable ‘old school’. He was a respectable professional,colleague and a friend. He enjoyed lively discussions, relished good food and loved his family, His was truly a life to celebrate. Our prayers and sympathies.
Dear Sandy and family: We were sorry to learn of the passing of Leonard, and want to express to each of you our sincere sympathy. It was my pleasure to serve the community together with our medical profession and association at the Wichita Clinic. May God give you precious memories that will help to ease your pain of loss.
Sandy, we were shocked to hear from the Gilmartins last night of the death of Leonard. Our deepiest sympathies and condolences. Courtney and I enjoyed Leonard and the good times the four of us shared at neuroscience events. I wish now that we had gotten together oftener. We will miss him and our thoughts are with you and the family.
Dear Klafta family, I am a R.N. who had worked in surgery with Dr. Klafta since 1996. I spent many hours working on brains and backs with him including several times in the middle of the night (which he was never too thrilled about)! He scared me when I first started in surgery. I thought he was very intimidating. Once I got to know him, I really enjoyed working with him. I don’t know how to explain it in words but I know you’ll know what I mean when I say I really loved his unique sense of humor. He would be working along in his normal manor and just throw some random comment out and make me laugh so hard. I have a lot of respect for him, not only because he was a great neurosurgeon but because he was a wonderful man. He treated us nurses and his patients with with the upmost respect and never felt he was better than anyone, like so many surgeons do. He always took the time to address all of us by our first names, participate in our stories about our families, and tell us to have a nice day before he left. He was very patient with all us female nurses and our endless gossiping and would join in with us and tell us stories about his wife and children. You guys were always on his mind during his long hours at the hospitals. And those stories always brought a chuckle and smile to his face. He loved you all so much and talked often about how he wished he had more time at home. Under the tough exterior I encounted when I first met him, was a soft teddy bear and a very sweet man that I really enjoyed being around. I am truly sorry for your loss, Amy Kelley