Leon George Klingensmith Jr.

Leon George Klingensmith Jr., 83, of Houston, Texas passed away peacefully at home on June 14, 2025. He was born on June 5, 1942 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and is the son of the late Coletta (Clarkin) Klingensmith and Leon Klingensmith Sr. They always lovingly called him “Skip”.

Leon was very active in scouting, both in his youth, and as an adult by helping with his children’s Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts troops. In high school, he earned the Eagle Scout rank with the Boy Scouts of America.

From a young age, Leon knew he was passionate about metallurgy. He enrolled in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and served as their chapter President. Leon forever loved the Nittany Lions and was proud to see both of his children attend the same University Park campus that he had attended. Throughout his life, he enjoyed watching Penn State football games and reading about Alumni Association events and news.

Leon enjoyed a 50-year, accomplished career in metallurgy. He worked for various manufacturers in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, California, Connecticut, and Texas that produced components for the aerospace and power production industries. Leon served in a variety of positions throughout his career, ranging from Plant Manager to Sales to Principal Metallurgist. In the latter phase of his career, his work brought him to conferences in Europe and Asia, and he co-authored various white papers with colleagues. He thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with his industry peers and remained friends with many in his retirement.

Leon was very active in the SPEBSQSA community (the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc.) most of his life. He was a Bass singer with several barbershop choruses, including the Orange Empire Chorus in Fullerton, California, and the Houston Tidelanders Chorus in Houston, Texas. He served as Chapter President several years for both organizations.

In his younger years, Leon was an avid gardener and spent hours each weekend tending to and improving the beautiful landscaping in his yard. He’d occasionally say that he would have been a Landscape Architect if he hadn’t discovered metallurgy. Each night after work, he’d take a glass of wine outside and “walk the back 40” (his backyard) to enjoy the landscaping and unwind.

Leon was a voracious reader. He consumed multiple books each week, typically related to history and various people that he admired. He was a lifelong learner and kept his mind active and engaged by following current events.

Leon’s family loved him deeply. He is survived by his wife Joyce (Suhayda) Klingensmith, his children Emily Klingensmith (James Crowley) and Colonel David Klingensmith of the U.S. Marine Corps (Windy), their mother Joanne Rose, and his six grandchildren Ava and Ella Crowley, Sydney, Jack, and Piper Klingensmith, and Rylee Link. He is also survived by Joyce’s nephews and their families, with whom he was also close.

Those who knew Leon will remember he was a keen listener, level-headed, and generous with his time and interest in others. Leon was a faithful Catholic; he and Joyce attended the St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Houston for many years. In keeping with his private persona, he requested no memorial service. He will be interred in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.