Loren Charles Kleinschmidt

Loren Charles Kleinschmidt, 75 years of Long Prairie, passed away on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at CentraCare Hospital in Long Prairie, surrounded by his family, after a short battle with cancer.
Loren was born in Long Prairie in 1950 to Hubert and Beverly (Awe) Kleinschmidt. He moved many, many times before graduating from high school, but most of his youth was spent in Long Prairie and Glenwood, MN. He graduated from Long Prairie High School in 1968 and went to Bemidji State University, where he graduated in 1972 with his teaching degree.
Upon graduation from BSU, Loren married his loving wife, Jane (Clasemann), and they lived in Long Prairie all 53 years of their marriage. They had two girls, Beth and Mary, and he was the best “girl dad.”
Loren taught 4th & 6th grade in Sauk Centre, MN, for 10 years before being laid off in 1983. He then went to work as a corrections counselor at the Home School in Sauk Centre until it closed in 1999. He spent his last five years of work as a sergeant at the prison in Rush City, MN, and commuted home on the weekends to be with his family.
Loren will be remembered by so many for his kindness and loving heart, his amazing hugs, his love for Jane, and his love of children (especially his own). He will also be remembered for his amazing Christmas light displays (which won he and Jane a trip to Disney World), his love of bright colors, all things tie-dye, Hawaiian shirts, classic cars, Crocs, and his general joy for life. He was a voracious reader and enjoyed watching the Vikings, Twins, and the Wild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hubert and Beverly Kleinschmidt; his in-laws, Francis and Lorraine Clasemann; his brother, Randy, and sister, Joanne; his uncle Ralph (who was his best friend); his dear cousin Sharon; and many other loved ones.
He is survived by his wife, Jane; daughters Beth of Alexandria, MN and Mary of Fargo, ND; several “bonus kids and grandkids” (friends of the family); his siblings, Rick (Sharon) Kleinschmidt, Kevin (Jan) Kleinschmidt, and Karla (Blaine) Pederson; Jane’s siblings; many nieces, nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews; and neighbors & friends who became family.
He will be dearly missed.