Ralf I. Kleinschmidt
March 13th, 1964 - June 8th, 2023
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Ralf's Obituary
Ralf Ingo Kleinschmidt, 59, of Watervliet, went home to the LORD Jesus on, Thursday, June 8, 2023 at his home.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Friday, June 23, 2023 at Oakridge Community Church, 766 Oakridge Dr. St. Joseph, with Rev. Scott Reeves officiating. Those wishing to sign Ralf’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.
Ralf was born March 13, 1964, in Hannover, Germany to Wolfgang & Erika (Mentzel) Kleinschmidt. He earned his Master’s Degree from FH Wiesbaden. Ralf served his country in the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) & Reserves at the rank of Staff Sergeant. On November 15, 1988, he married the Andrea nee Schneider in the quaint little winegrowing village of Kiedrich, Germany along the Rhine River. His son Fabian was born in April of 1989. After working several years in the Frankfurt area Ralf and his family moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota in 1999. In 2000 Ralf gained employment with Voestalpine Industries in Benton Harbor. He worked at VAI for four years before joining Pfizer in Kalamazoo in 2004 as a Senior Automation Engineer, a position that filled him with great joy and satisfaction, where he was employed at the time of his passing.
Ralf made everyone feel like part of his family. He was warm and friendly, multitalented and his curiosity was unending. He had a zest for life that is rarely found. He was always willing to try new things. Ralf loved the LORD and he, his wife and his son were baptized together at First Church of God in 2010. Ralf had a great sense of humor and thrived on word play. Adventure was part of his nature and his will to try new challenges was part of his living spirit. Hunting, shooting, cutting wood, fishing or tinkering are just a few examples of the activities that filled his joyful free time. He was known for his sense of humor, his ability to fix things and for his big servant’s heart. Ralf never met a stranger. He was a talented inventor & musician who cherished the time spent with his family and many friends. He enjoyed life to the fullest.
Ralf was a member of Oakridge Community Church, the Berrien County Sportsman’s Club, the Henry Ford Museum, the Republican Party, Free &Accepted Masons Three Oaks Lodge, and the National Rifle Association. He was a beekeeper with several hives and was a member of the Kalamazoo Bee Club. In 2011 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Ralf is survived by his wife Andrea; his son Fabian Dominik (Jennifer) Kleinschmidt of Hamburg, Germany; two grandchildren Carl-Johann Theodor Kleinschmidt & Helene Augusta Wilhelmine Kleinschmidt; his brother Axel (Gesine Walnsch) Kleinschmidt of Frankfurt, Germany; his mother-in-law & brother-in-law Sybille & Dirk Schneider, both of Wiesbaden, Germany. Ralf was preceded in death by his parents.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Friday, June 23, 2023 at Oakridge Community Church, 766 Oakridge Dr. St. Joseph, with Rev. Scott Reeves officiating. Those wishing to sign Ralf’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.
Ralf was born March 13, 1964, in Hannover, Germany to Wolfgang & Erika (Mentzel) Kleinschmidt. He earned his Master’s Degree from FH Wiesbaden. Ralf served his country in the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) & Reserves at the rank of Staff Sergeant. On November 15, 1988, he married the Andrea nee Schneider in the quaint little winegrowing village of Kiedrich, Germany along the Rhine River. His son Fabian was born in April of 1989. After working several years in the Frankfurt area Ralf and his family moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota in 1999. In 2000 Ralf gained employment with Voestalpine Industries in Benton Harbor. He worked at VAI for four years before joining Pfizer in Kalamazoo in 2004 as a Senior Automation Engineer, a position that filled him with great joy and satisfaction, where he was employed at the time of his passing.
Ralf made everyone feel like part of his family. He was warm and friendly, multitalented and his curiosity was unending. He had a zest for life that is rarely found. He was always willing to try new things. Ralf loved the LORD and he, his wife and his son were baptized together at First Church of God in 2010. Ralf had a great sense of humor and thrived on word play. Adventure was part of his nature and his will to try new challenges was part of his living spirit. Hunting, shooting, cutting wood, fishing or tinkering are just a few examples of the activities that filled his joyful free time. He was known for his sense of humor, his ability to fix things and for his big servant’s heart. Ralf never met a stranger. He was a talented inventor & musician who cherished the time spent with his family and many friends. He enjoyed life to the fullest.
Ralf was a member of Oakridge Community Church, the Berrien County Sportsman’s Club, the Henry Ford Museum, the Republican Party, Free &Accepted Masons Three Oaks Lodge, and the National Rifle Association. He was a beekeeper with several hives and was a member of the Kalamazoo Bee Club. In 2011 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Ralf is survived by his wife Andrea; his son Fabian Dominik (Jennifer) Kleinschmidt of Hamburg, Germany; two grandchildren Carl-Johann Theodor Kleinschmidt & Helene Augusta Wilhelmine Kleinschmidt; his brother Axel (Gesine Walnsch) Kleinschmidt of Frankfurt, Germany; his mother-in-law & brother-in-law Sybille & Dirk Schneider, both of Wiesbaden, Germany. Ralf was preceded in death by his parents.
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