Dr. Dereck Alan Klopfenstein Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Dereck Alan Klopfenstein had many and varied interests in life, but his most loved were father, veterinarian, Ironman, son, uncle and friend. Dereck was hit by a distracted driver while training for his second Ironman on August 8, sustained devastating head injuries when his helmet flew off from impact and died on August 25, 2019, one month before he turned 50.
Born September 26, 1969, Dereck lived in Archbold, Ohio, until 1976. His father Roger Klopfenstein died when he was three. When he was six his mother Janette married Dr. Douglas Yoder, and the family moved to West Liberty where Doug had a farm animal veterinary practice. Dereck loved spending the next years on their 80-area farm, raising animals, going on calls with his Dad and playing sports at West Liberty-Salem High School.
Dereck graduated from Goshen College in 1992 with a degree in Chemistry fully intending to get his graduate degree in medical research. After graduation, he had a strong realization that he did not want to work indoors in a lab, so he took several more needed courses at GC and entered Purdue Veterinary School, graduating in 1997.
After several years as a veterinarian in a Wisconsin dairy practice, he returned to Goshen to start Dairy Veterinary and Management Services with his father Doug. Before Dereck’s death, the dairy practice had grown to seven veterinarians and four office staff. The practice continues to host many veterinary externs from several veterinary schools and recruits young veterinarians, who want to be in a dairy practice. A number of interested Goshen College students have ridden with them through the years and two GC grads are now partners in the business.
Dereck juggled a busy life as father of Gabriella, Lucas and Samuel, supporting them in all their school activities. He was not only an active vet with meaningful relationships with his farmer clients, but he also established and oversaw the business side of the practice. Dereck was a dedicated athlete, completing an Ironman, twelve Half Ironman races and many other triathlons. He still found time to read and to educate himself in philosophy and history by listening to lectures as he drove between farms. He was a beloved and close friend to many, maintaining relationships with childhood, high school, college and local friends until his death.
We are establishing this scholarship to encourage interested students to pursue a veterinary degree, especially, but not limited to, the large animal track. Locally, Dairy Veterinary Management Services (contact Dr. Brandon Yoder) is offered as a great place for Goshen College students to get the opportunity to ride with veterinarians making farm calls. Goshen Animal Clinic (contact Dr. Diane Kaeser) offers a chance for interested college students to observe a small animal practice. We look forward to meeting the recipients of this scholarship.