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The late Earl Dodge wrote several short articles about Klingensmith in the National Statesman: Don and his wife Thelma celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1990.
[The couple] "had been involved in many noble causes, including the successful fight to keep lotteries out of ... North Dakota."
They managed a successful state bill to require counting of write-ins when the candidate had filed a declaration of intent with the Secretary of State.
"Don's service included a number of Methodist pastorates in North Dakota and Wisconsin. He was also sent as a missionary to Indians near Ponca, Oklahoma."
He held the PhD and worked on a "...translation of portions of the Bible and the entire New Testament into easily understood language."
"The Klingensmiths became active Party workers in the 1976 campaign, and they hosted the 1983 National Prohibition Convention in Mandan, North Dakota. Until the state legislature made the election laws too harsh, they saw to it that the Party was on the ballot each year."
Thelma received an award from the Eagle Forum "for her legislative work on behalf of the American family." She was active in the WCTU and the Methodist Church, and she was a lobbyist for many good causes. She was a life-long educator and was county superintendent of schools. She was named North Dakota Mother of the Year in 1965.
Don ran for office four times in North Dakota around 1980 and in Oklahoma in 1942.
Klingensmith died 7 November 1992, aged 91. His wife died around January 1995.
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