Moeller Funeral Home 104 Roosevelt Road Valparaiso, IN  46383 (219) 462-0535

Kosanke Funeral Home 105 East Indiana Avenue Kouts, IN  46347 (219) 766-2224

Wanatah Funeral Chapel 309 North Main Street Wanatah, IN  46390 (219) 733-2313

Angelcrest Cemetery Highway 49 and 600 North Valparaiso, IN  46383 (219) 531-8690

David A. Klingensmith 2/11/1956—4/24/2022 of Lowell, Indiana

On Sunday April 24, 2022, David “Dave” A. Klingensmith, beloved dad, grandfather, brother and uncle, slipped away quietly after his long journey with glioblastoma. He lived far longer than we ever would have imagined as he was in hospice care for about eleven months. He had arrived fairly sullen but once hospice brought in an acoustic rock guitarist, his real self came out as he began to tap in rhythm, smile, talk, and laugh. At the next visit he had his own guitar to play. Everyone knew he was all about rock music. Alexa brought music which made him happy and gave him something to focus on and enjoy as the glioblastoma advanced. His world and vocabulary really shrank, and he was not very aware, but he still could respond in a minute way to the Beatles, Eagles and AC/DC. “That’s a good one”.

Dave was born in Boston, MA and frequent moves took the family to suburban Washington DC, New Orleans, LA and Cleveland, OH since his father was in the Coast Guard. Dave settled in NW Indiana in the late 1970s and last lived in Lowell.  Dave was a trucker for thirty years. He had an early interest in the guitar and when he heard Jimi Hendrix his passion and playing took off. Mechanical and electrical skills came easily. He built a short-wave radio when he was eleven that picked up other countries. As a kid he was fearless, successfully water skiing and ice skating on the first try and popping wheelies on his English racer. Always the talker, he had plenty of stories and he gave advice from years of driving: keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. If you need to pull over to the side of the road, try to take the next off ramp so it’s less likely a distracted driver will plow into you. He had a unique way of putting things. “You should be reasonably aggressive when driving in a busy city”.

He is remembered as a kind soul with a gentle spirit, self-effacing and devoted to music. The owner of the music shop he frequented referred to him as a mild-mannered cat. That sums him up pretty well.

Proceeding Dave in death were his parents, Sandra A. Connolly and David C. Klingensmith. He is survived by his siblings: Kate, Butte, MT; and brother Jon (Joyce Sullivan), Topsfield, MA; children: Allison, Merrillville, IN, Tim (Chantel), Houma, LA, and Nathan, Worcester, MA. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Lennon Quinn, Remington August, Athena Rose, and Hudson Holliday Klingensmith of Houma, LA, and numerous cousins.  

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. A special thanks to Dunes Hospice and Golden Living Center, Valparaiso. Memorials can be made to Dunes Hospice Foundation Inc. 4711 Evans Ave. Valparaiso, IN 46383. www.duneshospicellc.com or Brain Tumor Network, 816 A1A North, Suite 207, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082. www.braintumornetwork.org