John (Jack) Carl Kjeldgaard was born on November 25,1941 on a farm in Walnut, Iowa.  His parents were Carl Kjeldgaard of Grenaa, Denmark and Marian (Gregersen) Kjeldgaard of Difiance, Iowa.

Jack attended grade school in Avoca, Iowa and Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he was a National Merit Scholarship winner.  He attended Palm Beach Junior College and Iowa Western Community College and continued to study computers throughout his professional life, receiving awards and certifications in the field.

Jack served in the U.S. Air Force from 1959-1963 and was stationed in Greenland and several states.

He married Linda Elizabeth Young in 1965 and started a career in computer engineering that spanned the country and overseas for over 40 years. It was the heyday of large mainframe computers, and he worked for IBM, Control Data, Amdahl and, later, with Captarius on the first generation of email software.

After retirement, he helped develop websites for several nonprofits, including SERRV International, Morgan County Senior Services, United Church of Christ Disabilities, Carroll Vista, River Ridge Communities, and Friends of the Cacapon River. He also volunteered for Camp Joy in Morgan County, WV, helping with transporting construction supplies for projects of the ministry.

He loved fishing and gardening. He raised most of his plants from seeds. He never tired of seeing wildlife along Big Pipe Creek and the Cacapon River.

He believed that all people deserve to be respected and treated with dignity and equality. 

Jack was predeceased by his parents, his brother Loren, Loren’s wife, Pat, and his daughter-in-law, Stacy Highsmith Kjeldgaard. 

He is survived by sons Karl of New Windsor, MD and Erik of Baltimore, MD; grandsons Alex of Rockville, MD and Jeffry of Finksburg, MD; former daughter-in-law Laura Ariovich of Rockville, MD; Pat and Loren’s children, Marie (Brian) Skotland of Lake Stevens, WA, and Jeffrey (Bonnie) Kjeldgaard and their daughter Jasmine, of Kent, WA; brother-in-law Bill (Beth) Young of Underwood, Iowa, their children, Ryan (Sara) and Aaron (Brandie), and their grandchildren, Bo, Ireland, Jace and Caden.

The family will receive friends on Friday, January 10, 2025 from 12 to 1 p.m. at Fletcher Funeral & Cremation Services, 254 E. Main St., Westminster.  Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m.  Interment will follow at St. Benjamin’s (Krider’s) Lutheran Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Carroll County Humane Society, Brian Safe Haven food bank in Taneytown, or a charity of your choice.