From the corn fields of Iowa, to the Philippine islands, to seeing the world from the skies as an Air Force pilot, to the mountains and trails of the West, to the wards of Georgetown School of Medicine, to the frozen tundra of Alaska, to the high desert of Klamath Falls, to the joy of retirement in Las Vegas and Orlando, John lived a full and adventurous life.
On March 21st, 1945, John Joseph Kleeman was born in Dubuque Iowa. His parents Carl and Lucile Kleeman followed opportunity around the world, raising their children Karl, John, and James from their Midwest roots, to the Philippines, and to summers in Paris that widened his world.
Inspired by the first astronauts, John studied Aeronautical Engineering at Purdue, earned a commission in the Air Force as a pilot, and flew heavy-lift C-133s all over the world. After flying combat EC-47 reconnaissance flights in Vietnam, he boldly chose to reset his compass, plotting a new course toward his greatest calling: the art of medicine.
After John’s decorated career in the USAF, he sought adventure in the mountains and skies of California where he met a fellow pilot and lover of the outdoors. John married Gayle Elaine Christmas in 1978. After earning his MD at Georgetown University and completing residency in Family Practice at UC Davis, he took his first job practicing frontier medicine in Alaska. Flying between native villages, Alaskan pipeline clinics, treating fishermen off boats in the icy Norton Sound, and assisting with the Iditarod Sled Dog Race made for an unforgettable introduction to being a physician.
John joined Klamath Medical clinic in 1984. His practice became his life’s work when he fell in love with caring for his patients, his colleagues, and the community of Klamath Falls. John was beloved by his patients for his excellent diagnostic skills, his compassion, and his genuine concern for their health and wellbeing.
John would tell you that his greatest joy was his family. John and Gayle spent much of their lives sharing the joys of the Oregon wilderness, first with nephew Rowan Christmas, and eventually with their own children, Kellianne and Scott. His time in Klamath Falls was filled with treasured memories: Cub Scouts, Ski Team, summers at Lake of the Woods, and decades of annual golf tournaments–often in matching outfits with his golf buddies.
John hung up his stethoscope after 40 years of practice, having proudly cared for generations of Klamath Falls residents. His grandchildren Ariel, age seven, and Calvin, age three, were the joys of his retirement and he lit up watching them grow. John also used his time to travel, play golf, and reconnect with his brothers Karl and Jim, particularly while cheering (and occasionally lamenting) their alma mater Purdue’s athletics.
Multiple myeloma slowly diminished his lifelong excellent health, which led to his death surrounded by his loving family. John navigated life with a verve for adventure. He had an unwavering commitment to accomplishing his goals. He relished learning about the lives of everyone he met, and felt that people everywhere had unique and compelling stories. He will be missed. He will be remembered.
John is survived by his wife, Gayle Elaine Christmas, his son, Scott Christmas Kleeman, his daughter, Kellianne Christmas Kleeman, her husband, Spencer Hiller, her children, Ariel Kleeman Hiller and Calvin Kleeman Hiller. John is also survived by his brother Karl Kleeman and Karl's wife, Edwina Kleeman, and his brother James Kleeman, in addition to many in-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
All are invited to celebrate John's life on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 2 PM at the Running Y Ranch Resort, Klamath Falls, Oregon in the White Oaks Outdoor Pavilion, followed by memories and socializing at Juniper Hall Lodge, featuring "John's Favorite Desserts."