Otto Dyck Klassen

Otto Dyck Klassen, 81, of Goshen, died Saturday afternoon, January 31, 2009, at Goshen General Hospital. He was born in Bluffton, Ohio, on May 10, 1927, to John P. and Anna (Dyck) Klassen.  He married Helen Bohn on December 18, 1948 in Pandora, Ohio.  She died March 14, 1969.  He then married Jerrie Ganger on July 7, 1973 in Elkhart.  She survives. An area resident since 1962, Dr. Klassen graduated from Bluffton College in 1949 and then attended medical school at Loyola University, Chicago and University of Illinois.  He did his residencies at Cook County Hospital, Chicago and Wayne County Hospital, Detroit before completing his training in Adult and Child psychiatry at Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas. In 1959, Dr. Klassen opened the first child psychiatrist private practice in Wichita, Kansas.  In 1962 he moved to Elkhart and along with Robert Hartzler founded Oaklawn Center where he served as director.  After retiring from Oaklawn he had a private practice in Middlebury and Goshen. In 1946 he volunteered with Heifer Project helping with a delivery of horses to Yugoslavia.  He served on the boards of Boys and Girls Club of Goshen and Elkhart Department of County Health. Dr. Klassen was a member of College Mennonite Church, Goshen, where he conducted grief groups. He was also a member of the Goshen Rotary Club. He is survived by his wife, Jerrie; five daughters, Ruth Andrews of Cassopolis, Michigan, Frieda (Ken) McRae of Dehra Dun, India, Bess (Marv) Klassen-Landis of Windsor, Vermont, Michelle (Jeff) Antioho of Murels Isle, South Carolina,  and Suzy (Andrew Elliott) Klassen of Eugene, Oregon; 18 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and three brothers, Herbert J. (Rita) Klassen of Sonoma, California, Paul P. (Lavonne) Klassen of Bluffton, Ohio, and Karl H. (Betty) Klassen of Clarksdale, Arizona. He was preceded by a sister, Anita Lugibihl. A memorial service will be held at a later date at College Mennonite Church, Goshen. Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to MDS (Mennonite Disaster Services), Habitat for Humanity or Goshen Boys and Girls Club, Goshen.