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Services Held June 5th For Edwin Klein
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CopyFuneral services for Edwin D. Klein, 87, of Chamberlain, SD were held on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Chamberlain with burial in the Riverview Cemetery at Chamberlain. Edwin Dale Klein was born September 21, 1922 at the Burke Hospital in Burke, SD to Nickolus and Maude (Sufficool) Klein. He attended school at Lucas, SD through the ninth grade. He went to Redondo Beach, CA to work in a Aircraft Factory until he was old enough to enlist in the United States Army on February 23, 1943. He was a Sergeant in the 555th Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion attached to the 104th Infantry Division. His unit landed at Normandy on Utah Beach. They fought through Belgium, Holland and ultimately hooked up with the Russians at the Elbe River outside Berlin. His unit spent 195 consecutive days in front line combat. They took the first German city, Achen, and then held the northern front during the Battle of the Bulge. They participated in several river crossings including the famous battle at the Remagen Bridge. They liberated Nordhausen Concentration Camp on April 12, 1945. Following the German surrender he was in the military police at Antwerp, Belgium. He was honorably discharged on February 1, 1946 receiving the Bronze Star for Bravery by rescuing a wounded soldier. Following his return home, he worked in the Homestake Mine in Lead, SD until he started Barber College in Sioux City, IA. On July 14, 1947, Edwin was united in marriage to Betty Herndon at Gregory, SD. Upon graduating from Barber College, he began working for Elmer Westendorf in Chamberlain. After barbering, he held numerous jobs including digging Artesian Wells, installing furnaces, to a mechanic at the Ford garage. From 1953 until 1961, he owned the Main Standard Station. He also worked installing Frigidaire appliances at Sladek Implement, worked at Wait's Grocery Store, as janitor at the U.S. Post Office, and finally bought the Bridgette Drive Inn. After retiring for a few years, he went to work in the Maintenance Department at Mid Dakota Hospital and was a courier for Sanford Laboratories. He retired on May 1, 2010 as the oldest person to retire from Sioux Valley/Sanford Hospital.
Edwin passed away on June 1, 2010 at Sanford Mid Dakota Medical Center in Chamberlain at the age of 87 years. Gratefully sharing in his life are his wife Betty of Chamberlain; four children Patricia Klein of Sioux Falls, Ronald Klein and wife Mary of Bettendorf, IA, Nancy Langfeldt of Sioux Falls, and Mark Klein and wife Ronda, of Chamberlain, SD; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his parents; three brothers Dewey, Andrew, and Fred; and a son Nicholas.
Copyright 2010 The Burke Gazette, Burke, South Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.
© 2011 The Burke Gazette Burke, South Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.
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