Klotz - Avon Roberts Klotz (1914-1985)

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Klotz - Avon Roberts Klotz (1914-1985)

A biography of Avon Klotz by his daughter Therese A. Marshall, October 18, 2016.

My father, Avon Robert Klotz was born in East Lansing, Michigan. In World War 11 he was a Staff Sergeant in the Calvary of the United States Army. He was stationed in Washington DC, where he met my mother, Josephine Mary Kane who was born and raised in Bar Harbor, Maine. Mom's paternal ancestors (it is documented) lived in Maine since the late 1600s. She is descended from many of the early Maine families. Dad and Mom married in Washington DC and shortly afterwards moved back to Bar Harbor.

Due to the war and shortages John D Rockefeller's Duck Brook Motor Bridge was not started until 1950. He donated the land and had influence on the bridge design but the Park Service paid for the bridge itself to my understanding.

My father worked for Harold Mac Quinn Construction Company, which was one of two companies that partnered and were the low bidders on the bridge. Many of the bridge workers were from the Greatest Generation. My father was the construction supervisor. He broke his arm during the construction of the bridge. My brother and I have memory of being in the car when my father went to the Rockefeller mansion to pick up his paycheck and discuss the bridge progress with I do not know who.

I have copies of construction photos that my father owned. Our family has always called it Dad's bridge, as I am sure other families do as well. Our routine on Sunday mornings was to go to Mass at Holy Redeemer Church and then drive to Dad's bridge and then up to the top of Cadillac Mountain to get a maple sugar pilgrim and look at the view of Frenchman's Bay. When we drove into Bar Harbor on Rt 3 in those days there was a clear view of the bridge to the right. My parents would always say, "Keep looking or you will miss it." We would chime, "We saw it."

My father was born 10/4/1914 and died 12/17/1985, just a few weeks after the death of my mother who was born 4/7/1920 and died 12/2/1985. They are both buried in Holy Redeemer Cemetery at the base of Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island.

The bridge is beautiful pink granite and the largest bridge of it's kind east of the Mississippi. It is the largest bridge in Acadia National Park. Duck Brook Motor Bridge is very precious to me, my brother and two sisters.

Marshall - Therese A. Marshall

October 18, 2016

Courtesy of Therese Klotz Marshall.