Larry Klein

Larry Erwin Klein

1941 July 31 – 2023 Nov 14

It is with much sadness that we share the passing of Larry Erwin Klein on November 14, 2023.  He was the beloved husband of 58 years to Lynda, cherished father to Michael (Tina), Jacquelyn (Michael), Carmen (Ryan) and Tamara (John) and adored grandpa and bubba to Darien, Megan, Emily, Erinn, Cate, Jake, Patrick and Jack.

Our dad was born on July 31^st,1941 and raised on the family farm near Melfort, Saskatchewan, growing up with his brother Denny, cousin Bob and good friend Gerald.  His mom, Irene, was a teacher and writer; his dad, Erv, was a farmer, stockman, hunter, fisherman, trapper, mechanic, carpenter and pretty much anything else associated with life on the land.  From them, he learned how to work hard, waste not and be an all-around decent person.

While working the farm on break from engineering studies, he signed up for pilot lessons on a whim, having never been in an airplane in his life.  Those solo hours in the sky sparked what became his life-long love of aviation, and he left school, joining the Air Force as a navigator to fly full time and see the world. 

At a posting in Rivers, Manitoba, Dad met our mom, a teacher on the base, and married her 11 months later on his birthday, which was, in his words, the ‘best birthday present ever’.  With Mom, and their growing family in tow, they lived the nomadic military lifestyle with home always being where his family was. 

After twenty-five years in the military, ‘the best possible job in the world’ as Dad called it, and facing another transfer, this time with 4 teenagers in tow, he decided to ‘take one for the team’, hung up his flight suit and took a job with Transport Canada where he remained until he retired.   

In retirement, Dad continued to see the world with Mom and good friends.  He also took much satisfaction in his workshop to create something incredible out of an old pile of wood.   However, his greatest source of pride was his family, and he rarely missed an opportunity to spend time with them. 

He is forever our greatest champion, and we miss him more than words can say.

We would like to thank friends and family for their kind words, visits and support to Mom and Dad over the last few months.  Thank you also to the oncology care team at the Ottawa General Hospital.

A celebration of Dad’s life will be held at the Orleans United Church, 1111 Orleans Boulevard, on Friday, December 1^st at 11AM.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or Heart and Stroke Foundation.