Rita J. Klein

1931 - 2019

Rita J. Klein

Lansing/Holt - Rita Jean Klein, 87, of Lansing, Michigan passed away on March 8, 2019. She was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota on June 7, 1931, the daughter of Ferdinand and Roberta Genevieve Lacher. For the past two years, she lived in Holt. She held a bachelors degree from St. Cloud State University and a masters degree from Michigan State University. She was a retired Lansing School District teacher, inspiring the lives of young people for many years at Lansing Sexton and Lansing Eastern High Schools in the subject areas of writing and journalism. From 1983 to 1986, she served as an Ingham County Commissioner from south Lansing. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters, Pax Christi, the Democratic Party, and other social justice groups. A longtime and active member of St. Casimir Catholic Parish in Lansing, she was a lector and eucharistic minister in the Church. Rita was also an active citizen of her Churchill Downs neighborhood and the City of Lansing. She was a docent at the Michigan Historical Center in downtown Lansing for many years. Before retirement, she traveled extensively with her immediate family on camping trips throughout the United States and Canada visiting scenic parks and historical sites. After retirement, Rita traveled on trips with her husband Norb to many of our world's most fascinating destinations. Her favorite spots were in Egypt, Peru, Turkey and China. Rita had an impressive collection of artwork with owls as a theme. She is predeceased by her husband Norbert B. Klein, whom she married in 1952 in St. Cloud, Minnesota and who died in 2012. She is survived by her daughter Pamela (Mike) Klein-Taylor of Arizona, her sons Douglas (Peggy) of Mason, Steven (Sue) of Dansville, Patrick (Evie) of St. Johns, Jonathan of Lansing, Mark (Summer) of North Carolina, her brothers Gerald, Robert, Kenneth, and Howard Lacher and her sister Deborah Johnson. She also has nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Palmer, Bush, and Jensen Family Funeral Home - Holt Chapel at 5035 Holt Road. The funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 13 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Casimir Catholic Church, 815 Sparrow Avenue in Lansing. A luncheon will follow in the parish hall. Online condolences may be made at the www.palmerbush.com website. Pallbearers will be her grandchildren. Contributions in her memory may be made to St. Casimir Catholic Parish, the League of Women Voters, or Eaton Community Palliative Care.