The Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund is grateful for the thoughtful generosity of the Kleinschmidt family. Longtime Oconomowoc resident, OASD teacher and beloved football, track, and tennis coach John Kleinschmidt passed away June 13.
Many knew John for his deep faith, and unconditional love and support for his family and friends. His commitment to his community will certainly continue on in many ways.
“Mr. Kleinschmidt’s family generously named OSF as the beneficiary of funds given to the family upon his passing. We are grateful for their decision and hope that other families will think of the OSF as they remember loved ones,” said OSF board president, Katie Sadorf.
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 US Army from 1967-1970, including a tour in Vietnam. In 1968, John married Ellen (Counsell) Swaine. They raised their two boys, Jeff and Mark, in Oconomowoc where John was an adaptive physical education teacher at his alma mater until his retirement in 1999. He married Lisa (Lucke) Kleinschmidt in 2002 and they lived in Oconomowoc until he passed.
In 2019, John was inducted into the Oconomowoc Athletic Hall of Fame as an athlete and coach. 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.”