Clarks Grove, MN feels loss of native killed in Michigan accident
By Sarah Light, staff writer

Thursday, March 1, 2007 9:29 AM CST



Lance Michael Klimek, the Clarks Grove native involved in a fatal snowmobile accident over the weekend in Michigan, was a man that “everyone thought the world of,” his mother told the Tribune Wednesday afternoon.

“Everybody he met loved him,” Esther Zezulka said of her son. “It’s just unbelievable. From the time he was a little guy till now, everybody talks about what a wonderful person he was. He’s going to be missed.”

Klimek, 35, died Saturday evening during a snowmobile accident in Ironwood, Mich.

According to a Michigan State Police news release, Klimek struck a dock at the Gogebic County Park on Michigan’s Lake Gogebic at about 7:40 p.m. Saturday. He was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident.

The release stated alcohol and high speed were believed to be factors in the accident, and the incident remains open pending further investigation by the Michigan State Police Wakefield Post.


His memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Theodore Catholic Church in Albert Lea with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church.

“He was just a wonderful father and a wonderful son,” Zezulka said. “He’s going to be sorely missed. He was just a wonderful person.”

Klimek attended elementary school in Clarks Grove and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1989.

Upon graduation from high school, he attended Alexandria Technical College.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard in 1990 and served as a military policeman in Desert

Storm from 1990 through 1991. He was honorably discharged in 1996.

He married Jennifer Paulson in Rochester in 1995 and had two sons, Cade Michael and Connor Jon. The family lived in Rochester.

“He was a great hands-on father,” Zezulka said. “He has two beautiful sons.”

Sue Hansen of Clarks Grove, a close family friend, said she will always remember the first time Klimek walked past her house when he was 8 years old.

“He was so friendly, even as just a little child. He was a very happy-go-lucky child,” Hansen said.

“He grew up to be a very nice young man.”

She said she was shocked to hear the news of Klimek’s death and that her family’s hearts go out to the his family.

“I think everybody in town’s feeling it a bit,” she said.

RIP Lance

i have seen alot about snowmobile deaths these past couple weeks....i hate to say it but getting dumped on with snow can have some consequences...those being deaths.

I knew Lance in highschool. Only worked with him for about 2 months but ran into him on occation when i would come home from college. Nice guy. sorry for his family.

ride safe

If this is true, I have no real sense of pity for him...only for those he left behind in a completely selfish manner.

its sad how stuff can happen in an instance, I seen alchohol was involved which is not smart at all, DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE! its not worth it, you may think your capible of douing it but the truth is it is not worth it at all to be leaving behind loved ones maybe, also if you are snowmobiling at least try to have someone be with you its to dangerous to be riding alone excpecially at night or somewhere away from alot of people.