J. Theodore Klein

KLEIN, Rev. Dr. J. Theodore of West Roxbury MA, passed away on August 8.  Born in Abington PA, he was the cherished son of the late Harald Immanuel and Ruth Powell Klein.  Beloved husband of 52 years of Mary Kay (McKeon) Klein.  Loving father of John Klein and his wife Myriah Klein of Salem MA, Kevin Klein and his wife Heather Greer Klein of Durham NC, and the late Karen McNulty.  Beloved grandfather of Willow, Rowan and Linden Klein.  Dear friend of James McNulty.  Survived by his sister Margaret Klein Deacon and her husband Jonathan, sisters-in-law Ellen McKeon, and Ann Brass and her husband Richard; brothers-in-law Michael McKeon, John McKeon and his wife Karen Greklek , James McKeon and his wife Rhonda, and Thomas McKeon and his wife Kim.  Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his brothers David and Joseph Klein and his sister Marilyn Klein Stumm.

Ted graduated from the Academy of the New Church College (BA), Temple University (MEd in Education), and Boston University (MA and PhD in Philosophy). He was ordained by the Swedenborgian Church in 1984 and faithfully lived a life committed to that ministry for 36 years.  A dedicated teacher, he served as a faculty member at Urbana University, Swedenborg School of Religion and UMass Boston. Devoted to social justice and caring for others, he authored a book on service that has touched many peoples’ lives.  The ethics of care was clearly at the center of his philosophical focus and he was working on a book on that topic.  He wasn’t able to complete it, but he had communicated his ideas to many of his colleagues and students.

One of his colleagues at UMass Boston commented “He was a great teacher.  I can’t remember a single time that his name came up when I was talking with a student that the student did not say how much she or he liked and appreciated Ted, and what an excellent teacher he was.  He really cared about his students, and projected that sense of caring very clearly.”

Ted was a kind and gentle man with a shining soul. He approached life with great insight and joyful humor.  He was a blessing to us all.

A memorial service will be held at the Church of the New Jerusalem/Church on the Hill in Boston at a later date.  There will be a virtual memorial in the near future.  Check the website at Lawler and Crosby Funeral Home in West Roxbury for more details.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ted’s memory may be made to Friends of the Blue Hills, PO Box 416, Milton MA 02186.

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