Eva May Klein, 87

Eva May Klein was born June 23, 1934, in Terraville, S.D., to Delbert and Ruth (Taylor) Bedell. She died Feb. 15, 2022, at Valley Vista Care Center in St. Maries, Idaho.

Her father’s death preceded Eva’s birth by six months. Eva, her mother, and three brothers, Orson, Earl and Donald, lived with her maternal grandparents in Lead, S.D., throughout her childhood. She attended grade school and high school in Lead. She left school at the age of 16 to marry the love of her life, Rudolph Klein, Sr., on Aug. 12, 1950, at her family’s home in Lead.

As newlyweds, Rudy and Eva moved to Kellogg, Idaho, drawn by the promise of work in the mines of the Silver Valley. Rudy hated the mines and after a year working underground, the family moved to Spokane where Rudy began working in construction and Eva ran her household and served as bookkeeper for Rudy’s Construction.

Their growing family soon moved to the log house on the farm on Hell’s Gulch in St. Maries. The family lived there for just seven years before moving closer to town, but during those years many treasured, lifelong friendships were formed with their neighbors.

Eva enjoyed being involved and had a knack for organizing events. She led Boy Scout and Campfire Girls troops and was a 4H leader for many years. She was a member of the St. Maries Church of the Nazarene where she was part of the kitchen committee and served as the director of Caravans, the Christian youth scouting program. She also was the host of the teen youth group Friday morning prayer breakfasts for several years.

In the early 1970s, Eva worked in the kitchen at the nursing home in St. Maries and then was a cook for the St. Maries school district. When the new school was built in Fernwood, Eva drove the student lunches from the kitchen at Heyburn Elementary to Upriver School. As Rudy’s business grew, Eva left the school to keep books for the company. She also was a tax preparer and census worker.

In 1982, after her youngest child graduated high school, Eva dreaded the prospect of an empty nest. At her husband’s insistence, Eva returned to school, completed her GED and went to earn her real estate license. She was an agent with St. Maries Realty for more than 20 years.

Eva loved her work in real estate and made customer service her priority. Her favorite part was meeting new, young families who relocated to St. Maries. She frequently invited them to dinner, making lifelong friends.

Eva and her husband became snowbirds in 1991 and spent 10 winters in Yuma, Ariz. Following her husband’s death in 2001, Eva continued to spend her winters at the same Yuma RV Park, and summers in St. Maries, and later Coeur d’Alene. In 2013, she sold her Yuma home and lived in senior apartments in Coeur d’Alene. Health concerns forced a move to Sandpoint assisted living and two years later moved to Valley Vista Care Center in St. Maries where she resided until her death.

Eva is survived by sons and daughters-in-law, Delbert and Debby Klein of Homedale, Idaho; Rudy and Nancy Klein of Hayden, Idaho; and Randy and Donna Klein of Orillia, Ontario, Canada; her daughters Veta McKinney of Yuma and Sandpoint; Chris and Steven Harte of Gresham, Ore.; Kaisie and Tony Brede of St. Maries; and Valorie and Cory McCormick of Sandpoint; as well as the daughters she and Rudy adopted in 1957 and raised as their own, Becky Call and Bruzetta Anna Roepke. She is also survived by 22 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents, Eva was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, her three brothers and grandson, Derek Klein.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, at the St. Maries Church of the Nazarene. Following the service, interment will be at Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Maries. Friends and family are also welcomed to attend a dinner at the church after the interment.

Eva will be remembered for her infectious smile, her love of family and friends, lilacs and tea parties.

Hodge Funeral Home of St. Maries has been entrusted with caring for Eva and her family. Online condolences may be left at hodgefuneralhome.com.