Community honors Mark Klusman, Elder High School teacher killed in hit-skip

The community will remember beloved Elder High School teacher Mark Klusman Wednesday. He died on Dec. 26 after being struck by a suspected hit-and-run driver Dec. 9, according to the Hamilton County Coroner's Office. Klusman, 74, was in his 51st year of teaching at Elder after graduating in 1961 and was an avid runner, coach, photographer and community volunteer. He was fatally injured while working with students on a Saturday to clean up streets in East Price Hill. A private funeral service for Klusman will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Monica - St. George Parish at 328 W. McMillan St. His visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Elder High School’s Schaeper Center at 3900 Vincent Ave.  Principal Kurt Ruffing said in a news conference last Wednesday that Klusman's lung stopped working, and he refused life support.  "He was just so generous of a man and just one of those people that didn't want the limelight -- just he was in the background doing whatever needed to be done," a tearful Ruffing said.