May 21, 1945 – October 22, 2024
Thomas Gilbert Klein of Cold Spring, MN died peacefully on October 22, 2024 at Asher Haus Memory Care. He was 79 and had been living with dementia for 7 years. He was born at home in Watkins to Peter and Alma (Ophoven) Klein, and graduated from St. Boniface high school. He served in the Air Force for 4 years and then started his 33 year career with General Mills. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Minnesota and his master’s degree in Business from St. Thomas. He married Patty Podany and settled in Plymouth, MN, where they had a son, Brian. They later divorced. He met Deb at work and friendship turned into romance. They moved from Minneapolis to Cold Spring in 1998, where they enjoyed 26 years at their home on the Horseshoe Chain and winters in south Texas. Tom was an avid and talented bridge player, and also enjoyed golf, boating, working in the garden and yard, and watching sports on TV. He had a lively sense of humor and was always up for new things – he enjoyed the trips to and from Texas, as well as exploring around both Minnesota and Texas, and even tried his hand at deer and duck hunting. Meeting the other “Klein boys” at the Sportsman’s picnic in Watkins was an anticipated annual tradition. He will be missed more than words can say and remembered forever as the loving, smart, witty and wonderful man that he was. Tom is survived by his wife Deborah, son Brian, brother Ronald and sister-in-law Sandy, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Robert and Gerald, and sister-in-law Shirley. Private inurnment will be at Fort Snelling, and a celebration of life will be held in Cold Spring in November.
