Dr. David John Klinke died on Friday, July 29, 2016. He was 84 years old.

Dave was born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 27, 1932, the fifth of five children. David’s older siblings were Lois, Jack, Otto, and Margaret. David’s parents were Hans Otto Klinke and Ethel Alice Klinke. His family moved to a 20 acre farm when he was 10 years old in Centerline, Michigan.

Dave, a 1950 Roseville High School graduate, earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry Education at Michigan State University and taught science and chemistry at the Waterford High School from 1954 until 1959. Dave returned to MSU and earned his PhD in Chemistry in 1963. After MSU, Dave began working at the DuPont Chamber’s Works plant in Deepwater, NJ, until his retirement in 1992. Dave worked in the laboratory and was eventually assigned as the Chief of Fire, Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection for the 12,000 employee plant.

Dave and the former Carol Price Shaw of Pennsville, NJ, had a Christmas wedding on December 19, 1964. Dave and Carol met through the YMCA when Dave volunteered to provide a ride to a weekend adults retreat on the Chesapeake. They both knew it was meant to be when he asked if she wanted to stop for ice cream and she said yes!

Dave was an active member in the community and served as a Woodstown-Pilesgrove School Board member for 26 years including 8 years as Board President. In 1971 he led the successful effort to institute a shared-time vocational school for the county. He served on the boards of numerous organizations including the YMCA of Wilmington starting in 1963 and the YMCA of Salem where he was named the 1974 Outstanding Volunteer on the extension program. He received the President’s award as General Campaign Chairman for the United Way of Salem County for 1974 and 1975. Afterwards, he served as the United Way Board President for several more years. In 1980 he was elected President of Salem County Habitat for Humanity and went with Eric Fagans to Trenton to obtain 501C3 certification as a charitable organization, and worked on the first Salem house removing asbestos from the heating ducts, and on the first Penns Grove house. For 37 years he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Woodstown, serving at various times as Trustee Chair, Moderator, Finance Chair, and Clerk of the Works for a major addition in the 1990’s. Dave loved singing bass in the church choir, and played the role of Scrooge in the 1986 play. He also served as the Blood Bank Coordinator at the church for 10 to 12 years and established the system to alternate with other Woodstown churches so that donors could give 6 times a year in Woodstown. In 2000, he was named the Blood Bank Chairperson of the Year for the Salem County Chapter of the American Red Cross. He is an over 20 gallon donor. He also coached son Michael’s soccer team four years to league championship the last year in 1988. Dave served on the Salem Community College Board of Trustees starting in 1994, when he led the selection of new leadership for the college by Dr. Contini in 1997. He served as its Chair for 5 years, and was honored by having the college green named after him. He has also served at the state level on the executive committee of the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges, where he was the primary advocate for obtaining tuition aid grants (TAG) for low income part-time community college students, of which 11,000 grants were awarded each year. Dave was an active member of the Woodstown Presbyterian Church.

Starting in 1967 in his spare time, Dave cleared the property for his new house, installed the finish woodworking trim throughout the house, did all the interior painting and wallpapering, landscaped the grounds and finished off the basement. After the house was done, he turned to making furniture such as a corner cabinet, a grandfather’s clock, a low boy, a bookcase, a jewelry box, a son’s bedroom bureau/desk, a treehouse, and even dorm bunks.

Dave is survived by his wife, Carol; sister, Margaret in Florida; brother Bill in Florida; daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Klinke and her sons, Niko, Kai, and Luka in State College, PA; a son, Dr. David Klinke and his wife Leah and children, Otto and Britta in Morgantown, WV; and a son, Michael Klinke and his children, Franklin and Grace in Montclair, VA.

Memorial services will be held at 12 PM on Saturday, August 6th in the Woodstown Presbyterian Church, 46 Auburn St., Woodstown, NJ, where friends are invited to visit from 10 AM until the time of service. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 200, Wellesley Hills, MA, 02481, or to the Salem Community College Foundation, 460 Hollywood Ave., Carneys Point, NJ 08069.

Please visit www.htlayton.com to leave a note of condolence to the family. Arrangements are by the H.T. Layton Funeral Home & Cremation Service.