George M. Klein, 98, of Boise, died Nov. 1, 2011, in Boise.
George was born in Oakland, Calif., Feb. 7, 1913, the first of three children born to Matthew and Sophie Robrecht Klein. He attended the University of Idaho in Moscow, and worked summers for the U.S. Forest Service. Following graduation in 1936, he was employed as Farm Management Supervisor for the Department of Agriculture.
In 1936 he married Elvera Victoria Nelson, his college sweetheart, and they had three children, Douglas, William and Mary Anne.
A reserve Army officer, George was called to active duty in December 1941. During the six years he spent in the U.S. Army during and following World War II, George saw action in both Europe and the South Pacific as an infantry officer. He left the Army with the rank of lieutenant colonel, returning to his duties with the Department of Agriculture at Moscow.
In October 1948 George entered private business in Grangeville, where he was owner-manager of the Credit Bureau of Idaho-Lewis Counties and president of Empire Finance Corp. He was elected mayor of Grangeville in 1959, serving until 1966. During his tenure a library was built, Main Street was paved, the city-owned water system expanded, and the first city planning and zoning ordinance was enacted.
George became president of the North Idaho Chamber of Commerce in 1958 and was one of the founders of the Clearwater Economic Development Association. He also was active for several years on the special committee to promote the establishment of the Nez Perce National Historic Park in north central Idaho.
In 1967 George was appointed state director of the Farmers Home Administration, and the Klein family moved to Boise.
Named as field representative for U.S. Sen. Frank Church in 1971, George retired from that position in November 1977. He then served for two years as chairman of the Idaho State Democratic Central Committee. In 1980 he volunteered to manage the re-election campaign of U.S. Sen. Frank Church. Since its founding, George has served as a member of the Advisory Board for the Frank Church Chair of Public Affairs at Boise State University.
In October 1977, George was named Citizen of the Month by The Idaho Statesman newspaper in recognition of his contributions in helping to rehabilitate victims of the eastern Idaho flood resulting from the collapse of the Teton Dam.
For eight years, during the 1980s, George and a partner operated orchards and vineyards in Canyon County.
In 1996, George wrote and published "The Nuremberg Funnel: Idaho-German Tales," a book of short stories, family histories, and reminiscences of the people and events that were important and significant in his life. All receipts from the sale of the book were donated to the Grangeville Bicentennial Historical Museum.
In 2006, he wrote and published "Hard Times and Happy Days: Memories of the Great Depression." His most recent book, "Pardon Me!!" a collection of insightful and mostly humorous remembrances of significant events in his life, was published in 2009.
George is survived by his son, Douglas and Caryl Klein, of Missoula, Mont.; three grandchildren, Steven and Laurie Klein, Laura and Gregg Duffin, and Richard Klein; six great-grandchildren, Mitchell, Marina, Mikayla and Monique Klein and Alysse and Kyle Duffin; and his sister, Lucille Klein Jones.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Elvera Klein, who died in December 2005; his son, William Klein; daughter, Mary Anne Klein Dohr; and his brother, Robert Klein.
Vigil services will be conducted at 7 p.m. today at the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel of Boise. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. John's Catholic Cathedral in Boise. Interment will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the family gravesite in Grangeville. A reception will follow the graveside at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Grangeville.
Memorials in George's memory may be made to The Monastery of St. Gertrude, HC3 Box 121, Cottonwood, ID 83522-9408, or to a favorite charity.
