Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has paid tribute to the late Klaus Nölke who passed away on Sunday.

A native of Hannover in Germany, he had lived in Killarney since 1968 and was a very dedicated, enterprising and long-serving member of Chamber, serving as its President from 1982 to 1984.

The Chamber expressed its condolences to his wife, Christal, sons Lars and Kjell, daughters-in-law Norma and Yvonne, grandchildren Max, Ben, Lara, Ewan and Katie and his extended family and friends.

Chamber President Niall Kelleher said Klaus, of Sundays Well Apartments, Countess Road and formerly of Crohane, Fossa, played a major role in the industrial, commercial and business life in Killarney through his work as a director with the Liebherr Container Cranes company from 1968 to 2002.

“Everybody realises and appreciates the enormous role Liebherr has played and still plays in the everyday life of Killarney and Klaus Nölke was a central figure in the remarkable progress made by the company down through the years,” the Chamber President said.

“His wonderful vision and his technical and commercial prowess ensured that Liebherr remained at the cutting edge and, in that regard, his contribution to the commercial life of Killarney was enormous,” Mr Kelleher added.

Born in 1939, Klaus was a very enterprising Chamber of Commerce President for a two-year term and he helped establish the Killarney Working Group which led to the setting up of the hugely successful Killarney Looking Good Competition.

A long-time member of Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, Mr Nölke was also the voluntary project leader in the painstaking project to restore the ornate iron railings which surround the Church of the Sloes opposite the town hall in Killarney.

A private funeral will take place in St Mary's Church of Ireland tomorrow (Wednesday) which will be live streamed at 2pm on www.churchservices.tv/killarneystmarysloes followed by burial in Aghadoe Cemetery, Killarney.