By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
The body of a former Rowan County resident who drowned near Cape Lookout Friday night has been recovered.
And Steve Kluttz’s brother said he died doing what he loved, in a place that he loved.
A boater discovered the body of Kluttz on Tuesday in the Cape Lookout Bight, less than a quarter of a mile from where his boat capsized, said Barry Munyan, chief ranger at the Cape Lookout National Seashore.
The boater called the U.S. Coast Guard, and a N.C. Marine Fisheries officer and an off-duty sheriff’s deputy in the area recovered Kluttz’s body, which was taken to Carteret General Hospital, Munyan said.
Kluttz and Lonnie Brown of Faith, both longtime commercial fishermen, were flounder gigging around 8 p.m. Friday when a freakish wind and wave capsized their johnboat.
Brown was able to grab hold and hang on to the capsized boat, but the 62-year-old Kluttz wasn’t able to get to the boat.
Saturday morning, Brown was rescued by fishermen who found him on top of the boat several miles from where the accident occurred. After treatment at Carteret General Hospital for exposure, he returned to his home in Faith.
Steve Kluttz, was an East Rowan High School and N.C. State University graduate with a degree in architectural design.
In 1978, he opened a real estate firm in Salisbury with Wayne Lentz.
Kluttz’s brother, G.L. Kluttz, said Tuesday that Steve Kluttz loved fishing.
“He loved to take people fishing, he loved being out on the water,” G.L. Kluttz said. “Water was an important part of his life.”
G.L. and Steve, were the sons of the late George “Glee” Kluttz and Grayson Kluttz. George “Glee” Kluttz was a co-founder of Kluttz Piano in Rockwell.
Steve Kluttz had moved to Wilmington several years ago and was involved in various ventures. Each year, he worked some months as a commercial fisherman based on Harker’s Island.
G.L. Kluttz works for Motorola, based in Georgia. He had remained in contact with the Coast Guard awaiting news about his brother’s remains.
The Coast Guard suspended its search for Kluttz’s body Saturday, but Munyan said the Parks Service had continued cursory searches and checks in the area all week.
Munyan said the family and the coroner’s office will decide whether to perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Steve Kluttz was single and did not have any children. His brother said he expects to deal with funeral or memorial arrangements.