Gaylen Eugene Klein

Gaylen Eugene Klein passed away in Billings, Montana, on March 27th, 2024 — four days shy of his 98th birthday. Gaylen remained busy and active well into his 90s, doing what he loved: building, drafting, making repairs, climbing ladders and even working on the roof when necessary. More recently, he spent his free time woodworking in his beloved shop, building and creating on a smaller scale. He continued to build furniture and other household items where he always had the right tool for the job. He could be found with his tools working on something almost every day until just before his death.

Gaylen was born in McCook, Nebraska, to Samuel Klein and Lydia Bauer Klein on March 31, 1926. His sister, Jeanette, was born four years later in 1930. Gaylen lived in McCook until his 18th birthday, when he left high school shortly before graduation to serve his country, enlisting in the U.S. Navy during WWII in 1944 at the age of 17.

He was the ship’s storekeeper on the USS General M.M. Patrick, which was a troop carrier. He often recounted stories about being the “kid” on the ship and sailing six of the seven seas. He was discharged on June 4, 1946, at the rank of second class storekeeper, having earned a Point System Discharge and the Victory Medal. He was always proud to have served his country during wartime, and he was thrilled to travel on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in 2014 to visit the WWII memorial.

After the war and a short stint in the motel business in McCook, Gaylen pursued his passion for construction. His uncle, Jake Klein, taught him the ins and outs of the building business. Gaylen was a talented builder who possessed imagination and creativity to match his building expertise. He mastered the building trade, including design, and spent many days at the drafting table for the projects he was working on. In Nebraska, he built a bank, a convent and commercial buildings before moving to Las Vegas, then Tucson, where he became an accomplished home builder. In Tucson, he refined his construction skills and built two subdivisions of custom homes, along with apartments and townhomes. After retiring from home building and moving to Red Lodge in 1990, he did some remodeling projects before building the family home there.

Gaylen married Betty McDaniel in September of 1950, and lovingly raised four children: Bonnie, Gaye Lee, Alice and Patrick. In 1977, he married Jo Ann, to whom he was married for 47 years until his death. Gaylen was a fatherly influence in the lives of Jo Ann’s daughters, Dawn and Lisa. They will be forever grateful to Gaylen for the beautiful memories they shared as a family.

In addition to building, Gaylen enjoyed fishing, trap shooting and socializing with family and friends. He was an accomplished trap shooter and won many titles over the years in both Arizona and Montana, including Montana Senior Singles champion. He fondly remembered his shooting buddies and the time spent with them.

Gaylen is survived by his wife, Jo Ann; and daughters Bonnie Rabin and Alice Grenier of Tucson, Arizona; daughter Dawn Cowan of Billings; daughter Lisa (Robin) Praeger of San Francisco; and nephew Patrick Naglich of Billings. Also, grandchildren Anastasia Rabin, Natasha Rabin, Aaron Moore, Rachel Klein, Nathan Praeger, and Julia Praeger; and his great-grandchildren Makayla Moore, Augustine Moore, Haley Maronek and Devry Estrella. He was predeceased by his parents; his sister Jeanette; his former wife Betty; his daughter Gaye Lee; and his son Patrick.

A service will be at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 13, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave., with a celebration of life to follow at the Red Door Lounge. His ashes will be interred with military honors later at a private ceremony at Yellowstone National Cemetery.