HOPE Kline (Imbody) Family Fund
The HOPE Kline (Imbody) Family Fund was created in 2025 as a field of interest fund supporting three causes important to the family: Christian faith-based programs, animal welfare causes, including livestock and the agriculture industry serving Marion County (Ohio), and alcohol and drug prevention programming and mental health services in Marion.
The fund forever honors the Kline Family – Michael “Mike” & Paula Kline and their sons, Michael Alen Kline II (1982-2007) and Phillip Imbody Kline (1984-2011). Paula put “hope” in the fund name because that is what she wants its awards to create for others.
Mike, who passed in early 2025 from a brain lesion, was expected to be paralyzed but survive. He helped Paula redesign an accessible bedroom to which he hoped to return. Since his passing, Paula continues to call it the hope room.
Mike was a mechanic, having worked at dealerships in the area including Mathews Ford & Honda in Marion. Michael graduated from Pleasant High School in 1972 and attended both Ohio State Marion and Marion Technical College. Mike and Paula were married in 1978 and were members of the LaRue United Methodist Church.
Paula worked for 20 years for Marion Power Shovel, followed by 15 years with the phone company — from GTE to Verizon to Frontier. She ended her career with five years of home care and hospice for OhioHealth, which she describes as most rewarding.
Son Michael II was a forklift operator at Genco, graduated from Elgin High School in 2001, was a member of 4-H and the Emanuel Reformed Church. He loved riding motorcycles, four wheelers, and dirt bikes. He loved to tinker with computers and Xboxes.
Phillip worked in assembly at Whirlpool Corp. He was a 2003 graduate of Elgin High School, played in the band, and sang in the Elgin Quartet. He was a member of the Emanuel Reformed Church and sang in the choir. Like his brother, he loved riding four wheelers. Phillip’s true love was working beside his dad being a mechanic at Imke Honda and McDaniel Motors. Phillip said he wanted to learn from the best, his dad.
