Kenneth F Klinkert Jr., known as Kenny, Cosmic Ken or Skipper, 79, passed away Thursday, July 31, 2025 at Pooler Resorts nursing home in Pooler, Ga.  

Kenny was the only son of Edith Sheppard and Kenneth F Klinkert Sr. of Savannah and had three sisters Betty Walker, Judy Lyle, and Deborah Stair.  

In 1967 Kenny enlisted in the Army to serve his country in the Vietnam War. In the heat of battle he was often tasked with scouring underground tunnels and caves for hidden Vietcong. He was awarded the Air Medal, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart for his bravery and wounds in the line of fire.  

After Vietnam Kenny returned home to Savannah where he met Linda Chenault, the mother of his only child. The couple split ways before the baby was born and Kenny hitchhiked to California. There in the Laguna Beach area he found spiritual enlightenment in the teachings of Jesus Christ which fueled his passion for truth and lifelong spiritual mission.  

For 8 years, Kenny skipped along Laguna Beach preaching and rhyming the gospel and what he called “Truth of the Universe.” Known as The Skipper, he connected deeply with each person he met, changing lives every step of the way.  

When Kenny returned home to Savannah, he continued to pursue his Mission on Earth and become a local legend. Hair flying in the wind, beard long and flowing, bare chested, and barefoot, Kenny lived in a state of perpetual meditation—walking, running, and swimming for miles along the shores of Tybee Island, sharing his message of cosmic truth and unity along the way. The free-spirited Zen of Ken impacted those who gave him rides to the beach as well as the folks he encountered while rambling around Savannah. He had a twinkle in his eye and smile for every stranger, creating an instant connection that brightened their day and opened their hearts and minds to his rhythmic, rhyming dialogues on synchronicity, truth, love, and oneness.  

Even those who saw him from afar were intrigued. The title of Savannah author, Michael Elliott’s  book, Running with the Dolphins, was inspired by a run-in with Kenny on Tybee Island. Kenny told Michael he liked to run along the beach because “if you adjust your pace, you can run with the dolphins . . . .”  One day Michael tried it himself and experienced the zen of running with the dolphins.  

People were fascinated by Kenny, leading to invitations to Mensa meetings, newspaper articles, books, and even a TV appearance on The Strange Universe. Many said he resembled Jesus Christ, especially the famous alleged burial image of Christ known as the Shroud of Turin, inspiring Ernest Kolowrat’s books Kenny: The Man Who Looked Like the Shroud and His Mission on Earth. 

Without even trying, Kenny Klinkert became a spiritual celebrity with a following all over the world. What mattered most to Kenny was empowering and awakening others with the understanding that each of us is precious and connected to the truth and beauty of the cosmos. That is his legacy—uplifting every soul he came across, celebrating their personal magic, and encouraging them to share it with the universe.   

Kenny is survived by his daughter Nattalie Lorretta Glover, two sisters Judy Lyle and Deborah Stair, 4 grandchildren Wren Keyes, Coral Keyes, Mesa Glover, and Reef Glover, and 3 great-grandchildren Rhys Heidenheimer, Memphis Wright, and Waylon Wright, and several cousins, nephews, and nieces.  

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Cosmic Ken’s life on September 21 on the beaches of Tybee Island. We’ll meet 5 pm at North Beach Grill and then head to the beach for words of celebration. All are welcome.  

To find out more about Cosmic Ken check out his website @kenklinkert.com.