Barbara Ann Klein

Barbara Ann Klein

April 24, 1943 – September 4, 2021

The family will receive friends Saturday, September 11^th from 10am to 11am followed by FUNERAL SERVICE at 11am all at King of Kings Lutheran Church, 11615 “I“ Street.  Interment: Omaha National Cemetery.

To view a live broadcast of the Funeral Service, please go to www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “View Live Cast” button on the home page.

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Barbara Ann Klein was born on April 24, 1943, to Henry Gerhard and Winifred Eva (Bailey) Paper in a farmhouse at Leigh, Nebraska.  She grew up in that home and graduated from Leigh High School.  After graduation, the entire Paper family moved to Columbus, Nebraska.  Barb went to the Methodist College of Nursing in Omaha, NE and there she met Dennis Joseph Klein in 1970.  Following her graduation both she and Dennis were married on December 5, 1970.

Barb and Dennis have two sons: Chaplain (Colonel) Michael Thomas Klein and David Arthur Joseph Klein.  Michael married the former Lori Doreen Lang of Omaha, NE in 1985 and they have three children – Michael “Gavin” Elisha, Laurel “Azelyn” Anna, and Sophia “Valaria” Christian Bailey.  David married the former Janet Lynn Bringewatt of Papillion, Nebraska in 1996.  They have two daughters, Elise Victoria and Julia Grace.  Barb’s only sibling is her younger brother, Thomas Henry Paper.  Tom is married to the former Diane Hazel Ruda of Bristow, Nebraska.

Barbara was an exceptionally qualified medical care professional, becoming a fully qualified Registered Nurse (RN) from Methodist College of Nursing.  Following her credentialing, she worked at Methodist Hospital and Doctor’s Hospital.  Barb later served in the emergency room (ER) at Midlands Hospital and concluded her 20+ years of “hands on” practice in the surgical ward at Clarkson Hospital as a specialist in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgical procedures.  Finally, she transitioned to Mutual of Omaha as a case manager and professional analyst/consultant for the final 13 years of her career before permanently retiring.  At the conclusion of her long and distinguished career, Barb acquired the following credentials: Registered Nurse, Methodist School of Nursing; Bachelor of Science Degree from Bellevue College; Health Insurance Administrative Association (HIAA) and Insurance Continuing Education (ICA/MSA).

However, the sedentary and sedate retirement lifestyle left Barb with an insatiable appetite to train, coach, and mentor future health care professionals.  She spent the next 13+ years teaching at Metro Technical Community College leading and administering Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and medical aid classes.  Many of the nurses Barb invested and poured her life into served as care providers for her during her final months of life.  Frequently, she encountered or bumped into medical care professionals whose lives she shaped, scoped, and placed on a trajectory for success into the future.

Barb and Dennis had a passion and desire for traveling, visiting friends and family, hosting dinner parties, involvement with faith based small groups and perpetual investment in her church.  She served as a small group leader, a youth group leader and was extremely active in “Care Ministry” and prayer endeavors first at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, concluding at King of Kings Lutheran Church.

They loved traveling, going on cruises, visting their kids and grandchildren in Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin, Illinois, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Hawaii, Germany (X4), Italy, England, Wales, France,  Austria, Switzerland and Israel.  In the final years, they became the consummate “Snowbirds” hunkering down in Texas for three consecutive years.