James Henry Klein, 88
James Henry Klein died Sunday, March 8, 2009, at Brendan House in Kalispell, after a brief illness. Jim was born in Boston on Oct. 12, 1920, the son of Maree and August Klein. The oldest of five children, he lived a long, happy and adventurous life, and had an insatiable curiosity and perpetual optimism. He loved skiing, sailing, hiking, camping, tennis, gardening, birding, collecting stamps and coins, and spending time with his family.
Jim was raised with his three brothers and a sister in Newton, Mass. He joined the Boy Scouts as a Cub Scout, ultimately earning the rank of Eagle Scout, being one of the first Scouts in America to go from Cub Scout to Eagle Scout.
After graduation from Newton High School, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating with a bachelor's and master's degree in 1942, and a doctorate in chemical engineering in 1950. While in college, he competed nationally in slalom and downhill skiing.
An avid pilot, Jim flew sailplanes for years, taking part in long-distance soaring competitions, and occasionally landing in cow pastures, corn fields, and once in a high-security government compound where it took some fast talking to get both him and his sailplane out of the facility.
On Dec. 16, 1954, Jim married the love of his life, Betty Brown. They raised their four children, Lyndi, Cissy, Rick and Alison, in Littleton, Colo. As a family, they hiked, fished and camped all across the state, and spent summer weekends sailing, and winter weekends on the ski slopes. He was one of the principal developers of Keystone Ski Area in Summit County, Colo., and his extended family all ski hard and fast because of his love of skiing.
Music was an integral part of Jim's life. He played the piano and guitar and knew hundreds of folk songs. He instilled in his children the same love of music, and the entire family sings songs in tight harmony at every opportunity. His love of travel began with his trip to the 1937 Boy Scout World Jamboree in Bloemendaal, The Netherlands. Jim and Betty traveled throughout the world, enjoying trips to Kenya, Yugoslavia, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Mexico, all across Europe, and 49 of the 50 states. In 1981, they moved from Littleton to Breckenridge, Colo.; in 1993, they moved to Kalispell. For the past 25 years, they enjoyed building and spending time at their second home in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas.
In celebration of his 85th birthday, Jim made a tandem sky dive, with the challenge to his children to do the same on their next milestone birthdays.
Professionally, Jim was involved in cutting-edge research and development. During the war years, he worked for the Union Oil Company. Subsequently, he worked for the Institute of Inventive Research and Stanley Aviation, before starting his own company, Klein Aerospace, where he worked primarily as a consultant in the aerospace and nuclear fields for companies including Sandia Labs, Martin Marietta, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. He was a Toastmaster and a lifelong member of Rotary International.
He is survived by Betty, his beloved wife of 54 years; and their children, Lyndi and Dave Tyrrell of Breckenridge; Cissy and Mitch Booth of Somers; Rick and Dorothea Klein of Chester, N.J.; and Alison Klein and Matt Thompson of Somers; four grandchildren, Carson Booth and Megan "Petie" Booth of Somers, and Katrina Klein and Sara Klein of Chester; two brothers, Gus Klein of Woodside, Calif., and John and Linda Klein of Cupertino, Calif.; sister-in-law, Isobel and John Hernandez of Las Cruces, N.M.; brother-in-law, Sherburne and Marianne Brown, of Moraga, Calif.; and numerous nieces and nephews, and their spouses and children.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Frederic; his sister, Maree; and his sister-in-law, Abigail.
The family suggests memorial contributions be sent to the American Heart Association.
Jim's wishes were for no services to be held. A celebration of his life will take place at a later date.