Charles Herman Klingenmaier

Charles Herman Klingenmaier, 85, of Ridgefield, WA, passed away while at home on December 2nd, 2023. Herman was born August 27th, 1938, in York, PA to Herman Augustus and Frances Klingenmaier. In his youth he won soap box derby races, worked in his family restaurant, and explored his grandfather's farm. After high school he went to Haverford College and graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. He went on to get his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and remained there for his residency in anesthesiology. Herman started his anesthesia career at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and worked there for three years including starting the hospital's first intensive care unit. After discharge, he then joined the staff at George Washington University hospital and became the Medical Director of the Intensive Care Unit there. He eventually decided to go into private practice and moved to Vancouver WA where he practiced at Southwest Washington Medical Center and PeaceHealth. Herman loved to sail and was the captain of many sailing adventures in Puget Sound, the Virgin Islands, and even down the Pacific coast and through the Panama Canal. He also enjoyed skiing every winter both locally and at many ski resorts. He raced cars, made stained glass, enjoyed cooking, programed computers, and always kept up with the latest technology. You could find him involved in deep conversations with his friends and family about the meaning of life. Besides being an educated physician, he was a handyman, a jokester, and renaissance man that knew a little bit about everything. But most importantly, Herman was known for his joy of life, no matter what he was doing. He would say you can choose to laugh, or you can choose to cry, and that is how he lived. He was young at heart, he loved to laugh and celebrate life; he enjoyed music, singing, and dancing with anyone who would join him. He always had a twinkle in his eye, and he passed that joy along to his family and all those around him. Herman was predeceased by his son, Scot Klingenmaier. He is survived by his wife of 51 years Patricia Klingenmaier; his children Kim Fletcher, Kristi Klingenmaier, and Lara Melchionda, son-in-law David Melchionda, and his grandchildren Caleigh Fletcher, Zachary Fletcher, and Lyla Melchionda, and his sister Marlene Whiteley along with many other extended family members. He will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on January 28th, 2024, at Church of the Good Shepherd; 805 S.E. Ellsworth Road, Vancouver, WA 98664. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; https://afsp.org in memory of Scot Klingenmaier.

Charles Herman Klingenmaier

August 27, 1938 - December 2, 2023