Dr. Gerald Klingelsmith, D.O., 84, passed away Friday Dec. 19, 2014, at his home after complications from bladder cancer.

He was born in Manistee, Michigan, on October 24, 1930, the youngest of five children to Grover and Clara (Mury) Klingelsmith (deceased). He married Betty Lou Witchell Dec 24, 1954, in Elkhart, Indiana.
Gerald graduated from Dickson Rural Agricultural High School in Brethren, Michigan. He did his undergraduate work at Eastern Michigan University and graduated from the Chicago College of Osteopathy in 1963. He was proud of his family practice in Traverse City and later work as an emergency room physician at Cadillac Mercy Hospital. He served on the Board of Directors at Traverse City Osteopathic Hospital.

Gerald grew up in a Mennonite family on a small farm in Brethren, Michigan. Hard work, honesty and the love of family were priorities to him his entire life. He enjoyed practicing medicine, but he also liked to farm, and inflicted his hobby on his children. "Builds character", he said. He raised 100,000 Christmas trees on two farms, but produced no farmers. In his "spare" time, he built a cabin on Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. He loved cars, everything about cars. Driving cars, reading car magazines, looking at new cars. He collected Model T's and could spot a rusted out Model T composting in the woods 40 yards off the highway while driving by at 60 miles per hour, eventually accumulating a barn full of rusty Model T parts. "Tired Iron", he said. He was a quiet man, but he had a twinkle in his eye and an earthy aphorism for every occasion. Played a cutthroat game of pinochle, laying down his cards with a flourish and a smacking sound. He will be greatly missed.

Gerald is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Betty; his son Kevin (Lynne) Klingelsmith of Ft. Collins, Colorado; his daughter, Jessica Alley, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Kendall (Carrie) Klingelsmith of Byron Center, Michigan, and his grandchildren, Alexander and Korinne Klingelsmith, Munro Alley, and Brandon and Austin Klingelsmith. He is survived by his sister Phyllis Weaver of Elkhart, Indiana.

Gerald is predeceased by his brother, Dean Klingelsmith, and his sisters, Bernice Harnish and Mildred Klingelsmith.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. Burial will be at Bingham Township Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers please consider donations to the Father Fred Foundation, 826 Hastings St. Traverse City, 49686 and the Cherryland Humane Society, 1750 Ahlberg Rd. Traverse City, 49686.

Kindly share your memories with Gerald's family by way of his online guest book at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com

Arrangements for the family have been entrusted to Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home.