Gary Edward Klemm, 79, died May 26, 2021, after a short illness.

Born in Youngstown, Ohio, on October 29, 1941, he resided in Northeast Ohio all of his life and raised his children in Cuyahoga Falls.  He attended Youngstown State University and Fenn College, majoring in chemical engineering. He liked to say that he studied chemical engineering, but considered himself a practical chemist.  After college, he followed in his father's footsteps and worked in polymer research at Lubrizol in Wickliffe.  Later, he was a chemist at Akron Paint & Varnish, Inc., in Akron and then Technical Director at Stewart Brothers Paint Company in Alliance. He had an entrepreneurial spirit and his dream was to start his own company. In 1979, he founded Spectrum Dispersions, Inc., in Stow, Ohio.  Spectrum was immediately a family business, as Gary's four children, Tim, Greg, Sherri, and Kathi, were Spectrum's first four employees.  Spectrum moved to Ravenna, Ohio, in the mid-80's and Gary's sons, Tim and Greg, became co-owners of Spectrum.  Gary continued working at Spectrum until he passed away and the family continues to carry on his legacy.

Gary was a single dad for 17 years.  He was a renaissance man who could cook, sew, tie bows on little girl's dresses, fix the plumbing, fix the car, and (almost) single-handedly host Christmas yearly for 20 to 40 people.  While doing this, he still had time to listen and there wasn't a problem he couldn't solve.  He was a great Dad and took great pride in his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  He found the love of his life, Chris, at age 56 and married her.  They blended their adult kids and 18 grandchildren for Christmas and family gatherings and have many happy memories.  They enjoyed traveling, attending baseball games, eating out, and had fun together no matter where they were or what they were doing.

Preceded in death by his beloved parents Louis ("J") and Olive Klemm; beloved grandson Alexander Stebbins; beloved brothers-in-law James Nebe and Raymond Beckwith; and beloved sister-in-law Deborah Sandelbach, Gary is survived by the love of his life and wife of 22 years Christine Klemm; sons Tim and Greg (Pam) Klemm; daughters Sherri (Terrence) Zalewski and Kathi (Mark) Grissom; stepdaughter Rebecca (Michael) Casey; stepson Adam (Julie) Smith; grandchildren Jeff (Jillian), Kevin (Angela), Madeline, Andrew, Josh, Joey and Jake Klemm, Stan, Julia & Laura Zalewski, Matt (Ashley), Katie and Alyssa Grissom, Noah and Aaron Casey, and Sarah and Anna Smith; great-grandson Silas Klemm; great-granddaughter due in June; sisters Karen Riechel and Donna Nebe; brothers-in-law Mike (Carol) Beckwith, Lewis Beckwith, and Tom (Sandy) Beckwith; sister-in-law Sherry Lee (Tom) Kornack; nephews Mark (Angela) and Ryan Nebe; nieces Lori (Tim) Combs and Aimee (Kyle Beckham) Riechel; Uncle Robert Klemm; many great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins; and special friends Rhianna Fogle, LJ Griggs, Carson Fogle, Parker Wagar, and Madeline Frederick.

He will be inurned at Crown Hill Cemetery in Twinsburg.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name to UH Seidman Cancer Center by going to support.uhgiving.org and selecting UH Seidman Cancer Center or mailing a donation to:  University Hospitals Institutional Relations & Development, P.O. Box 94554, Cleveland, OH  44101-4554 and note that it is for Seidman Cancer Center and in memory of Gary Klemm.