Wilma Fay Klein

Wilma Fay (Klinger) Klein, 103, of Omaha, Nebraska passed away peacefully on October 10, 2024. Wilma was born on February 28, 1921, in Burke, South Dakota, to Richard and Ora (Sufficool) Klinger. She spent her early years on the family farm, where she helped the family in various duties including tending to crops and cattle. In 1939, Wilma graduated from Burke High School, where she was an editor of the school newspaper and member of the debate team, “The Howlers.” Wilma met Harold Klein when she was 24 years old, and the two married on August 5, 1945. Together they built their home in Lucas, South Dakota and adopted their only son, Fred Paul Klein, in 1955 when he was six years old. The family moved to Omaha in 1961.

Wilma held a career in bookkeeping and worked for several companies in Omaha over the years. This profession suited her, as Wilma was known to be organized and disciplined in all aspects of life. Her meticulous nature is the reason she was able to independently support herself for over 46 years after her husband’s passing in 1978.

Wilma also had a creative side, and enjoyed sewing and baking. She was particularly talented at making hand-sewn quilts, which she gifted to friends and family on special occasions. Wilma also made sure that her granddaughters always had unique and quality handmade Halloween costumes throughout their elementary school years, and that their Barbie dolls always donned the latest in grandma’s couture fashions. Wilma cherished her time teaching her granddaughters how to bake her homemade pies, pumpkin bread, and ginger snap cookies. Her baking legacy lives on through her great-grandchildren, who continue to use Wilma’s handwritten recipes to make these sweet treats. Wilma’s simple pleasures included Werther’s Originals, fresh flowers, laughing at the jokes in Reader’s Digest, puzzles, and watching western TV shows.

At the age of 100, Wilma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Although her memory steadily declined in recent years, she always welcomed a chit-chat, some giggles, and sharing her candy with friends and family who had become strangers to her. Wilma faced her final days with grace, at peace and ready to reunite with her loved ones that had passed before her, especially her mother Ora, whose memory is the only one that remained vivid for her throughout her disease.

Wilma is survived by her sisters Dorothy Stroh (Hot Springs, SD), Olive “Jean” Schenefeld (Gregory, SD), daughter-in-law Liliana Klein (Billings, MT), granddaughters Julita (Josh) Pulver (Billings, MT) and Nicole (Kevin) Chen (Elmhurst, IL), nephews Wayne (Jo) Stricklett (Papillion, NE) and Ken (Jean) Stricklett (Washington Grove, MD), and great grandchildren Julius and Lili Fay (Billings, MT) and Lucy and Ivy Chen (Elmhurst, IL). She is preceded in death by her parents Richard and Ora Klinger, husband Harold Klein, son Fred Klein, and siblings Arlie Klinger, Alice Klinger, Hazel Klinger, and Grace Stricklett.

A memorial service will be held at 1:30pm on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at Brookestone Village 4330 S. 144th St., Omaha, NE 68137.