Marilyn Klein

Marilyn Klein passed away February 2, 2025 at St Vincent Healthcare, following a long illness. She was preceded in death by her husband, David E Klein MD as well as her Brother Charles Fremont. Marilyn is survived by her children Peter (Debbie) and Gretchen.

Marilyn was born on May 4, 1935, and grew up in Sanford, Maine, the daughter of Roland and Aglaia Kitching. She met Dave Klein in Boston and through various adventures found a wonderful home in Billings, with Dave Klein joining a group medical practice. While Dad joined his new practice, Mom became active in the Billings and medical community, all while raising two kids.

Mom had many loves, many pastimes.

As an avid self-taught master gardener, she always kept up on latest horticulture trends while applying them to the appropriate zones in Montana, also lending her hand to other organizations in Billings, such as being volunteer/landscape at Moss Mansion.

She was a great lover of art, whether by local artists or nationally recognized artists. As such, she was a volunteer/docent at Yellowstone Art Museum, where she was able to enjoy her love of art.

During the winter, her love of skiing took her and Dad to their favorite places: Red Lodge and Sun Valley. We took many family day ski trips to Red Lodge, which became a beloved location for our family, with so many memories.

Mom and Dad enjoyed many ski trips to Sun Valley with some of Dad’s college and medical school friends. We also took many family trips to Sun Valley, not just during the winter but also the summer where we could enjoy various outdoor activities. We had our first annual family reunion in Sun Valley in summer of 2003, where all Klein family members came from across the country to partake in the various summer activities. Mom put together a collage of our family for each member who attended. We have that collage hanging in our homes. This was one of Mom’s most treasured activities, with her talking about it years after it happened. 

Another favorite Montana location was Flathead Lake. We took many family trips to the lake, staying at the Flathead Lake Lodge, where we met so many new friends. A good part of the tradition to visiting Flathead Lake including visiting family (dad’s brother Otto and Otto’s wife Sue) who have a house on the lake. We enjoyed many hikes around the area, local cherry picking, many swims in the lake, bonfires by the lake and boat rides on the lake, just to name a few. Even after their kids left the nest, Mom and Dad continued the trips to Flathead Lake for as long as they could, reuniting with some dear friends they have known over the years. Growing up on the coast of Maine, Marilyn loved the Lake. She didn’t care how cold it was! The Atlantic Ocean is colder than the lake, she would always say, diving right into the Lake with no hesitation. So many treasured memories!

Another one of Mom’s loves is tennis. We as a family played together (doubles and singles!). She also had her own group of friends she would play with on a regular basis. That group was quite competitive, but Mom loved that group, and they all became quite good friends. She brought her competitive spirit to our family tennis matches!

Mom and Dad truly adored the Montana outdoors, taking full advantage of what Montana had to offer. They enjoyed hiking and exploring the majestic mountains of Montana, where mom taught us about the local geology! We had to pay attention because there would be a quiz at the end of our hike! 

Mom was an avid gourmet cook. We especially looked forward to our holiday meals, with new and fresh dishes. The delicious aroma of her cooking permeated our home! 

Mom will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Her love of community, her love of family and friendships will always be remembered. 

No services are planned at this time.