Dan Klinzmann, a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend passed away peacefully at home on the 10th of April 2024. Dan was born on the 27th of April 1955 in Haxtun, Colorado to Adolf & Florence Klinzmann and was raised on the family dairy farm outside of Yuma, Colorado. As a young man, he attended Red Willow and Yuma High School and graduated with the class of 1973. Growing up on the farm he learned the value of hard work and the love for machine and auto mechanics.
With the love for his country, Dan joined the U.S. Army in 1973 and was stationed in Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany until 1976, when he was honorably discharged due to a family farm hardship. He later attended the American Motorcycle Institute in Daytona, where he learned the motorcycle trade. He took his knowledge and opened up Klinzmann Cycle in Yuma, Colorado. A few years later, Dan moved to the Fort Collins area in the mid 1980’s and began work as a city Transfort bus driver when he met his wife, Christine. Together they bought a home in 1992 outside of LaPorte to raise their family.
Throughout his life he acquired many skills that he found rewarding, like the self-taught cleverness of making some of his own tools and the ingenuity to make do with what he had – he had a natural talent for backyard engineering. Dan was exceptionally involved in his children’s lives between the decades of home improvement projects of constructing his shop, designing and building the horse barn and adding onto the house. He made time to support his children in activities from motocross, go-carts, working on Mopar cars, sports, and numerous projects in the 4-H program. He worked various positions with the Fort Collins US Post Office for 25 years until he retired in June 2019.
Dan always offered a helping hand, took the initiative to get things done, all while taking pride and responsibility in his work. Dan was a nurturing, kind and disciplined man, who enjoyed the simple pleasures in life. He had a genuine passion for Harley Davidson motorcycles, his 1969 Dodge Dart, hard work and love for his family. He always enjoyed a smothered beef & bean burrito with a margarita or cold beer or a big cheeseburger with a large vanilla malt shake.
Dan leaves behind his wife, Christine of LaPorte, his son Dale (Krysta) of Rapid City, SD, his daughter Olivia (Tyce) of Brookings, SD, his brother John (Marie) Klinzmann, and sisters Cindy Dick, Angie Pickett, Mary Klinzmann & Elaine Klinzmann and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and brother Pat (Ellen) Klinzmann. He also leaves behind the many friends & brothers he made along the way, coworkers, and friends at the Post Office and through the Larimer County 4-H program. A special thank you to his Pathways “ACE” team, Adam, Cali & Eliza for the exceptional care & compassion they gave. Dan, dad, Gutter, you will be greatly missed. We love you and we will keep your memory deep in our hearts. There is no doubt he lived a fulfilling life, go now and enjoy your eternal freedom ride.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith… 2 Timothy 4:7
A celebration of life service is being planned for some time this summer. Contributions can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, Pathways of Northern Colorado, or your preferred charitable organization.