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John Benjamin Kleinschmidt died peacefully June 13, 2023, at his home in Oconomowoc at the age of 82.
Born March 17, 1941, in Ft Benning, GA, to Benjamin Kleinschmidt and Joyce Christenson Kleinschmidt, he moved at an early age to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. John attended Oconomowoc High School where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He was a member of the 1959 state champion baseball team. John played baseball at the University of Wisconsin – Madison on a scholarship and graduated in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education/Coaching and in 1977 with a master’s degree in Exceptional Education.
After graduation, John spent three years serving in the Peace Corp in Indonesia and Africa. He then served in the United States Army from 1967 – 1970, including a tour in Vietnam. He completed his distinguished military career as a 2nd Lieutenant and earned Bronze and Silver Star citations. In 1968, prior to his deployment to Vietnam, John married Ellen (Counsell) Swaine. They raised their two boys, Jeff and Mark, in Oconomowoc where John was a beloved football, track, and tennis coach and an adaptive physical education teacher at his alma mater until his retirement in 1999. In 2019, John was inducted into the Oconomowoc Athletic Hall of Fame as an athlete and coach. He later married Lisa (Lucke) Kleinschmidt in 2002 and they lived in Oconomowoc until he passed.
John had a deep faith and was committed to his family and friends. He was best friend and caregiver to Lisa and the epitome of unconditional love and support to his children, stepchildren, and grandchildren. John found happiness in all aspects of his life and enjoyed traveling, coaching, teaching, staying fit, golfing, spending time strategizing with his sons about the Packers and Badgers, visiting with family, and writing his memoir “Serendipity: Fortunate Happenstance.”
John was predeceased by his parents, his aunt Ruth Christenson Wegner, and his brothers Robert Kleinschmidt and George Schmid.
John is survived by his beloved wife Lisa (Lucke) Kleinschmidt, his sons Jeff (Susie) of Charlotte, NC, and Mark (Kendra) of Golden, CO, and his stepdaughters Melanie (Hyatt) Harper of Minneapolis, MN and Brittany Baxter of Oconomowoc, WI. He is also survived by his grandchildren Will, Kira, Taylor, Emilia, and Livia Kleinschmidt; and step-grandchildren Ruby and Rhett Harper and Coraline, Miles, and Hannah Baxter.
A visitation will be held Saturday, July 22 at Pagenkopf Funeral Home (NEW LOCATION: 2228 N. Silver Maple Lane, Oconomowoc) from 9 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. followed by a service and luncheon. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund in John’s name https://www.oconomowocscholarshipfund.org/ (https://www.pagenkopf.com/obituaries/obituary-listings//www.oconomowocscholarshipfund.org/).
(Location of Pagenkopf Funeral Home: We are located just South of Aurora Summit Hospital, east on Delafield Road)
To send flowers to the family of John, please visit our floral store. (http://pagenkopf-funeral-home.tributestore.com?oId=28209954&tag=&source=tco_descriptionundefined&mtph=1)
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