Bengals honor local WWII veteran with Super Bowl tickets

Longtime season ticketholder honored on Sunday

(CINCINNATI) -- 97-year-old Lawrenceburg resident George Klopp Sr. has seen it all in his lifetime.

He saw World War II firsthand as a Navy Sailor when he served for nearly two years in the South Pacific.

Klopp has also witnessed the best and worst of times when it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals.

He attended the Bengals first exhibition game at Nippert Stadium in 1968 and became a season ticket holder when the franchise first offered the season ticket option 54 years ago.

Ever since then, he has been at Bengals home games, attending most of the games with his son, George Klopp, Jr.

"He's been a fan through the good and the bad, he even sat there in Riverfront Stadium during the Freezer Bowl game," Klopp, Jr. said.

The father and son have attended games together for the past half-century, and they can be still be found sitting in section 108 during home games at Paycor Stadium.

With the season coming to an end today, the team told Klopp Jr. that they were going to honor his father during the game.

"I thought they were just going to do something on the videoboard during the game, but this went far beyond what we expected," his son said.

The Bengals presented the father and son with tickets to this year's Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

"Dad was shocked and couldn't believe it. He was at a loss for words," Klopp Jr. said.

"I said if they ask you to say anything, just say 'Thank you, God Bless America and Who Dey,'" he laughed.

The father and son are now making plans to attend the big game in February.

Klopp Sr. is believed to be one of only seven living WWII veterans who reside in Dearborn County. Learn more about George Klopp Sr. by clicking here.