Leah Woodward

Deacon Jerry Klement was born September 11th in Muenster, Texas. His family were dairy farmers, and very active in Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Upon graduation from Muenster High School in 1955, he attended Arlington State College (UTA) and graduated from Texas A&M University in December 1960. He later attended the University of Cincinnati,  University of Maryland and North Carolina State University.

Deacon Jerry's work career included 37 years with the United States Department of Agriculture as an Extension Agent, Community Development Specialist and Administrator in Texas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Maryland.  He retired from the USDA in September 1994.

As a youth, Jerry always said he was going to be a Priest.  He attended St. John's Seminary in San Antonio his sophomore year in high school, but returned home after one semester. Jerry continued to remain very active in the church, and the call to ordained ministry never left him.

In 1974, he applied to the Diaconate Program in the Diocese of Maryland where his family lived at the time.  He was ordained Deacon for the Baltimore Diocese on December 2, 1978.  Three weeks after ordination, his employer, the Dept. of Agriculture, transferred him to the State Office of USDA in Temple, Texas.  The Klement Family moved to Temple in February 1979.  Bishop Vincent Harris assigned Deacon Jerry to St. Luke Catholic Church where he continues to serve.

Jerry met the love of his life, Carole Quenzer, in 1963.  They were married in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Denton, Texas on November 9, 1963.  They had 4 children, Beth, Philip, Kurt  and a baby who died at birth.  In 1975, they adopted Cori.  Jerry & Carole have been blessed with 13 grandchildren.

In 1992, Father Tom Frank, Director of Deacons for the Biocese of Austin, asked Deacon Jerry to work as the Associate Director of Deacons.  In 1994, Bishop John McCarthy appointed Deacon Jerry as the Director of Deacons for the Diocese of Austin.  He has since retired as the Deacon Director, but continues his diaconal ministry at St. Luke Catholic Church. 

Deacon Jerry enjoys spending his spare time with his wife and beautiful grandchildren. In addition, he loves traveling, fishing and his Field Ministry!