Klaus

George Laverne Klaus, 86, of Lancaster, formerly from Butler, died Friday at the Heart of Lancaster Hospital, Lititz, after a yearlong battle with cancer.

He was born in Etna, the son of the late Henry and Eleanor Klaus.

George was a torch repairman for Armco, now AK Steel, for 40 years and retired in 1986.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

George was inducted into the Butler Sports Hall of Fame. He lettered in swimming, basketball and track and field. During his basketball career, he played for the YMCA league and traveled around the country. In the early 1950s, he played in a tournament in North Carolina and played against Wilt Chamberlain.

Surviving are his ex-wife Patricia Klaus; four daughters, Lynda Tinsley and her husband, Jimmy, Susan Niggel and her husband, David, Carol Lindbeck and her husband, William, and Nancy Liberda and her husband, Edward; three stepchildren, William Guiney, Ronald Guiney and Pam Vavro; nine grandchildren, Lorie Cox married to Michael, William VanWormer married to Jeannine, David Niggel married to Angela, Greg Niggel, Elizabeth Liberda, Megan Lindbeck, Anna Lindbeck, Christopher Liberda and Marc Lindbeck; two step-grandchildren, Adrianne Guiney and Ronnie Sue Guiney; five great-grandchildren, Victoria Fratz, Alan VanWormer, Elissa Niggel, Rebecca Niggel and Hailea Koep; nephews, Donald Hilliard and Bill Hilliard; a great-nephew Donald Hilliard Jr and a great-niece, Janelle Wogan.

George was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Jennifer Lindbeck.

<B>KLAUS</B> — Arrangements for George Laverne Klaus, who died Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, are under the direction of the <B>Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home and Crematory</B>, Lititz.To send an online condolence or for more information, please visit SnyderFuneralHome.com