Eugene H. Klingler, a resident of Juniata Twp, Michigan for over 10 years, formerly of Bloomfield Hills, died on January 4, 2015. He was 82 years old. Eugene was born September 3, 1932 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Eugene grew up assisting his father in the family watch and clock repair business in Fort Wayne. After graduating from Fort Wayne Catholic Central High School, he became the first in his family to attend college. After graduating with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Eugene served at the US Army White Sands Missile Range, designing and testing missile systems. While at White Sands, he enrolled at the University of New Mexico, ultimately graduating with an M.S. in Electrical Engineering, then on to Carnegie Mellon University, where he received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. Eugene began the first stage of his career in the aerospace industry in southern California, designing missile systems, working on several of the Apollo programs, and earning numerous patents along the way. After rising to lead several large research labs, Eugene left the aerospace industry to join academia, ultimately rising to lead the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Detroit. Eugene’s third major career change lead him to found a Consulting Engineering practice, from which he retired in 2002. Eugene enjoyed a number of hobbies throughout his life, including photography, travel, sailing, and amateur radio, where in the last 20 years of his life, he connected and exchanged call signs with thousands of fellow ham operators across the globe. Eugene was a loving father, grandfather, and friend. He was deeply loved and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. Eugene is survived by his beloved companion Dorothea Dimitry and his loving children, Eugenie Klingler, Theodore Klingler, Roxane (Alan) Dow, Sidney (Jack Walrad) Klingler, Georgia (the late Donald) Michaelsen, and Fritz (JoJo) Klingler. He is also survived by his dear grandchildren, Veronica and James Walrad, Maxwell and Fritz Michaelsen, Nicholas, Charles, Anna, and Jacob Klingler. He will also be missed by his friends in the “thumb area” of Michigan, as well as friends from his earlier lives in Detroit and in his many travels. Visitation will be at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 1368 N. Crooks Rd. (between 14-15 Mile Rds.) Monday 4-8 pm. The Funeral Mass will be at Holy Name Catholic Church, 630 Harmon Street, Birmingham, Tuesday 10 am. Friends may visit at the church beginning at 9:30 am.