William Allen Klopman,88, Industrialist, husband, father and friend of many, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 25, 2010 at home in Greensboro, North Carolina.
A memorial service in celebration of Bill’s life will be held Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 1:00 PM in St. Francis Episcopal Church in Greensboro, North Carolina at 3506 Lawndale Dr. with the Reverend Robert Black officiating.
Bill, as he was known to his family and friends, was born August 23, 1921 to the late William and Hazel Klopman of Ridgewood, New Jersey. As a young man growing up in Northern New Jersey, Bill exhibited early indications of the drive and leadership capabilities that would characterize his life in the years to come. As a Boy Scout, Bill achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Lawrenceville School where he was on the wrestling team, and he graduated from Williams College with a degree in Chemistry, a discipline he chose in part for its challenge and difficulty.
Bill felt the call of duty during WWII and enlisted in the navy where he was a PT boat captain in the Mediterranean and South Philippines from 1942 to 1945. After his Mediterranean tour of duty, Bill returned to the navy as a PT boat instructor before being called back to active duty in the South Philippines. He was awarded a Bronze Medal of Honor for his bravery in leading the capture of the German occupied island of Porquerolles off the south of France where he talked the Germans into surrendering despite being out numbered.
In between his tour of duties, Bill married Anne Lyon of Englewood, New Jersey on December 28, 1944. After his discharge from the Navy, Bill and Anne ended up back in Northern New Jersey where they began raising a family of six children and where Bill began his career in textile manufacturing.
Bill’s first job was as a sales trainee at Klopman Mills, a company started by his father that would became a division of Burlington Industries in 1956. Bill’s drive and leadership skills propelled him to the position of Division President in 1963. He became the President of Burlington Industries in 1974 and served as the Chairman of the Board and CEO of that company from 1976 to 1986.
Bill was an ardent and tireless advocate for the textile manufacturing industry and served as President of the American Textile Manufacturers Institute from 1981 to 1986He also served on many company and non-profit boards including Western Electric, the US Chamber of Commerce, North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry, and the National Association of Manufacturers Conference Board.
Bill valued the role of education in personal and professional development and he served on the Board of Governors of the Center for Creative Leadership, became a Charter Member of the Isle Maligne Society of the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and served as a trustee at North Carolina State University.
After moving to Greensboro in 1978, Bill and Anne also served as benefactors of several schools and charity organizations including St. Francis Episcopal Church, Williams College, Bennington College, Lawrenceville School, Elon University and Guilford College. Bill and Anne also established the William A. Klopman Jr. Law Scholarship at Wake Forest in honor of their deceased son.
Despite the many demands of his career, Bill was dedicated first and foremost to his family with whom he shared his passions for travel, tennis, golf, photography, boating hunting and fly fishing. Bill enjoyed traveling the world in search of the next great fishing or hunting spot and in the past few years he and Anne have spent the winter months in Key Largo, Florida, a special place where Bill caught a world record bonefish on a fly rod.
Bill is survived by his wife of 65 years, Anne Lyon Klopman, sons Billy (deceased), Peter, James and Thomas, daughters Linda and Betsy; grandchildren Sue, Jennifer, Brad, Katie, Betsy and Robin and great grandchildren Emily, Ava, Gavin and Corbin, and cousin John Schloss, nephews, Jonathan and Charles Klopman.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to VFW National Headquarters, 406 West 34th St., Kansas City, MO 64111 or the charity of ones choice.
Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home N. Elm St. is assisting the family. Online condolences may be made at www.haneslinberryfuneralhomes.com.
(Bill Klopman was the Honorary Chairman for the 1982 Greater Greensboro Open.)
