John A. Klinger was well known in the Eau Claire region's LGBT community for his service as a founding member of the Chippewa Valley LGBT Center and as a member of both the Wisconsin HIV/AIDS Prevention Planning Council and the Western Region Ryan White Consortium.

Klinger's body was recovered from the Eau Claire River about ten miles north of the city after being found by a fisherman. It is believed his body went into the river just upstream of the "reportedly cruisy" LL Phillips Park. His cause of death was suspicious in that he needed to have been transported to the secluded site, because he didn't drive himself. His eyeglasses were found near the site, but his wallet and leather coat were missing.