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April 18, 2024
Robert Louis Klein died Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017, surrounded by his family.
He was born June 30, 1931, to Leo and Catherine Klein in Friendship, Wis.
He graduated from Adams/Friendship High School in 1949 and served in the Navy from 1951 to 1955 in Europe on the U.S.S. Lloyd Thomas. After service to his country, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and -Platteville to study civil engineering. While in Stevens Point, he met his future wife, (Anita) Joann Burmeister. They married in March of 1959.
As a student, he worked on the construction of Wisconsin Highway I-90. After graduation from Platteville in 1961, he worked for the city of Madison, Wis., as a land surveyor. He loved being outside and often reflected on how much he liked his time with the city. He worked for the state of Wisconsin in Madison as a civil engineer from 1964 until retirement in 1994. His career focus was on building code compliance for new construction projects.
He enjoyed many outdoor activities including boating, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling and downhill skiing with his children and his grandchildren, Jonathan and Dylan Manke, and Anna Schorse. Dylan followed in his grandpa’s footsteps, entering the UW-Platteville engineering program.
In addition to many family vacations, the family cottage on Pine Lake, Argonne, Wis., was a favorite destination in all seasons for outdoor activities. He and Joann renovated the cottage after retirement and enjoyed time there with family and friends until he required kidney dialysis and assisted living for his failing health. When reflecting on the end of life, he chose this Henry David Thoreau quote, “Most men live lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” May he rest in peace.
Survivors include his wife; five children, Richard Dickinson, Vicki Sue (John) Schorse, Dr. Patti Klein, Penni Klein and Ginni (Michael) Racowsky; two sisters, Florence (John Ramocinski) and Dolores (Hank Filtz); half-sister, Jeannie Marie (Patrick) Doyle; and half-brother, Richard James Klein.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Danny, Leo and Kenny (Joann); and stepson, Richard Dickinson.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Nov. 11, at Roseberry’s Funeral Home, Friendship, Wis., with lunch to follow at Carlson’s Rustic Ridge, Friendship.
