Elizabeth Darleen Klein

Elizabeth Darleen Klein, 98, of Pueblo, Colorado, entered Heaven on June 3, 2022. Known as Darleen, she was an 81 year resident of Pueblo. She was born July 26, 1923, in her grandparents’ home near Cairo, Missouri. Her family lived in Moberly and Cairo, Missouri and Jacksonville, Illinois during her early years. Her family moved to Red Wing, Colorado in 1936, then Walsenburg, Colorado before settling in Pueblo in 1941. Darleen was a graduate of Walsenburg High School in 1941, earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Pueblo Junior College in 1943, and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Southern Colorado State College in 1965. She taught school for the Pueblo School District for over 28 years. She taught Fourth Grade at Edison Elementary from 1952 to 1957, taking a break to have 2 more children and completing her BA degree. She returned to teaching in 1965 becoming the Media Specialist at Washington Elementary until it was closed and finished her career at Bradford Elementary, retiring in 1988. She did some substitute teaching for Pueblo School District for several years after retiring. She met George C. Klein of Vancouver, Washington who was in the Army Air Corps and stationed at Pueblo Air Field during WWII. George was transferred to Westover Field in Springfield, Massachusetts in the Spring of 1944. He and Darleen were married on July 17, 1944 in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. After the war, George and Darleen returned to Pueblo where George worked at the Pueblo Ordnance Depot before he retired in 1975. George preceded Darleen in death, passing in 1979. George and Darleen had 4 children: Rick (Marilyn) of Pensacola, Florida; Jetta Budd (Tom) deceased; Mick (Lois) of Lincoln, Nebraska; and Valeena Hollifield (Harry) of Pueblo, Colorado. Darleen has 10 grandchildren: Tamah Collier (John), Pensacola, FL; Aurora Rezeau (Nathan), Grover Beach, CA; Brindle Summers, San Antonio, TX; Joel Klein, Arlington, VA; Mikaela Reeder (Tyler), Lincoln, NE; Josh Klein, Grand Island, NE; Jasmine Klein, Lincoln, NE; Devon Klein, deceased; Briana Boughton (Nate), Pueblo, CO; and Caitlyn Hollifield, Broomfield, CO. She is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren.
She was a member of Liberty Baptist Church and Beta Sigma Pi sorority. At Liberty Baptist, she taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. Darleen was one of 2 who received the 75 year membership award in Beta Sigma Pi. She also received the Order of the Rose, Silver Circle (50 Year). She was a Past President of the Pueblo Retired Teachers Association.
In addition to her love for teaching and church, she also loved to travel. It was quite common to get a phone call to see if one was at home as she was a few hours away. She particularly enjoyed her trip to Europe where she saw the Claude Monet gardens at Giverny, visited London, Edinburgh, Paris, and Bonn.
Special gratitude to the caregivers of First Light Home Care for the care you provided over the last few years and to the wonderful people of Sangre De Cristo Hospice. Your support and assistance during a difficult time was a huge blessing.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Funeral service, 2 p.m. Friday, June 10, 2022, Liberty Baptist Church, 2207 W. 29th St., Pueblo, CO 81008. Interment, Mountain View Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Liberty Baptist Church or Sangre de Cristo Hospice, 1920 Valley Dr., Pueblo, CO 81008.