Funeral services will take place on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 1:00 PM (Mountain).
Community Center
Wall, South Dakota
of Wall, South Dakota, died on Monday, January 20, 2025 at Monument Hospice House in Rapid City at the age of 73
Douglas, better known as “Doug”, was born on March 29,1951 in New Underwood Hospital to Frank and Shandon (Wood) Kleinschmit. He joined sisters Luann and Mona Rae and lived in Wall most of his life.
In his early years Doug had many interests. He bowled on the youth bowling league at Wall Lanes, drove his go-cart, played baseball, joined the Boy Scouts, and went fishing. Doug loved to go camping with his family and friends at Legion Lake. He also played football and basketball during his high school years.
At age ten he started helping and learning to drive the bulldozer and blade for his dad and Kleinschmit Construction. They built many stock dams and completed hundreds of projects in the local area. This passion turned into his love of driving and later he went to work for the Pennington County Highway Department.
On May 28, 1983, he married Lola Kirkegaard who taught school in Wall. They moved to Oklahoma for five years but moved back to Wall in 1984. On September 11, 1984, their son Nathan was born.
Doug’s interests expanded as time went on. He coached Midget Band Midget A baseball teams for many years, coached girls and boys middle school basketball teams, and enjoyed taking new adventures with family and friends. Doug learned and played golf, took fishing, hunting, and bowling trips, and went to watch the Denver Broncos games numerous times.
He loved traveling to Nathan’s college football games and making new friends during these trips. Doug had seasons he looked forward to including opening day baseball seasons to watch the Atlanta Braves. He was a true Braves fan since they were the Milwaukee Braves. Another favored season was fishing season and catching bass, walleye, northern trout, and whatever else might bite. His third favorite season was golf and spending time with his friends on the greens. Then came along hunting season and being able to shoot prairie dogs, deer, antelope, pheasant, and even guiding hunts. Next was bowling season and participating in bowling leagues and tournaments. Can’t forget Wall Eagle sports seasons as Doug was one of their biggest fans! Whether it was football, basketball, track, or any other sport he was always proud of Wall and the kids and coaches. Next it was the Wall Celebration season which was always a fun time partying with the class of 69 and everybody else. Finally, he enjoyed the traveling season after he retired in 2014. He and Lola traveled the East Coast including taking a boat ride across Lake Michigan, seeing Niagara Falls, visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean, Gettysburg, and went to Boston to see the Red Sox play. Trips were planned around seeing baseball games and National Parks.
Whatever Doug did, friendships of family and friends were important to him every day. He loved our community with all his heart and appreciates all Wall has done for him over the years.
Survivors include his wife Lola of Wall; son Nathan of Rapid City; sister Luann Spence of El Dorado, KS, and her daughter Roxanne (Brad Cool) of El Dorado, KS, son Lance (Virginia) Spence of Clarksville, AR, and his children Tanner, Paige (Alex) Rodriguez, and Alicia (Kyle) Burg, son Gary (Karen) Rupp of Marcus, IA and children Sara (Seth) Doup, Andy (Meagan) Rupp, and Kristine (Kyle) Timmons; sister Mona Rae Sims of Phoenix, AZ, and her son Jimmie Sims of Tulsa, OK; many great-great-nieces and nephews; brothers-in-law Morris (Debra) Kirkegaard of Trent, SD, and their daughter Autumn Rice; Don (Lois) Kirkegaard of Sturgis, SD, and their son Mat of Fargo, ND, and daughter Ashley (Jack) Sullivan of St. Paul, MN; sister-in-law Sally (Greg) Wiggins of Monument, CO, and their daughters Amanda Wiggins and Angela (Rory) Young both of California; and a host of other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Shandon Kleinschmit; in-laws Orville and Laura Kirkegaard; niece Kimberly Spence Worley; and great-nephews Blake Cool and Curtis Spence.
Visitation will be held 5-7 p.m. Friday, January 24, at the Wall Community Center.
Funeral services will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 25, at the Wall Community Center with Father Jonathan Dillon officiating.
Private family interment will follow at the Wall Cemetery.
VISITATION
Friday, January 24, 2025 - 5-7 p.m.
Community Center
Wall, South Dakota
FUNERAL SERVICE
Saturday, January 25, 2025 - 1:00 p.m.
Community Center
Wall, South Dakota
OFFICIATING
Father Jonathan Dillon
PRIVATE FAMILY INTERMENT
Wall Cemetery
Wall, South Dakota