Christopher Allen Kleinhans

68, Menasha died peacefully Tuesday morning Nov 25, 2025, after a brief illness. Chris was born on November 24, 1957, in Sioux City, Iowa to Theodore "Clancy" Kleinhans and Leona "Lee" Eisele Kleinhans. He was baptized in the first few weeks of his life in the chapel of the Sioux City Army Air Base, where his father was a chaplain. He was confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Merced, California on Good Shepherd Sunday 1971. His confirmation verse was John 8:12 "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.'"

As a "military kid," Chris lived in Iowa, Massachusetts, the Azores Islands, Mississippi, New York, and California before the family settled in Appleton in 1975. Diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teen, Chris was able to complete his high school education through individualized instruction while on the psychiatric ward of St. Elizabeth's Hospital.

Chris was never able to live independently. After several hospitalizations, he began living in community-based residential facilities. He was one of the first residents of "Edgewood," a Lutheran Social Services facility that was the first group home for the chronically mentally ill in Appleton to be established in a residential area. Chris worked for Goodwill in a sheltered workshop program from January 1986 until his retirement in summer 2023 and was very proud of his accomplishments.

Chris loved anything to do with space, technology, and science fiction. He was a devoted Star Trek fan (The Original Series, of course) and Doctor Who fan (the Fourth Doctor was his favorite). His caregivers remember him as always ready to tell a joke.

Chris is survived by his sister Kathryn "Kit" Kleinhans (Alan Schulz), Columbus, Ohio and two nephews, Christopher Kleinhans-Schulz, Waverly, Iowa, and Paul Kleinhans-Schulz, Moline, Illinois, as well as several cousins.

A service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Brettschneider-Trettin-Nickel, followed by burial at Historic Riverside Cemetery, Appleton.

Memorial gifts can be directed to Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, NAMI – Fox Valley, or Goodwill North Central Wisconsin.