Dr. Thomas Wilcox Klein, 81, of Meridian, Idaho, passed away on Nov. 21, 2021.
Tom was born to Helen and Francis Williver “Bill” Klein in Stockton, California. He was a fourth generation Stocktonian. He received his early education in Stockton, graduated from Menlo School in Atherton, California, and from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1963. At that time, he also received his commission as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. While at Cal, Tom was a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity and met his future wife, Virginia (Ginny Salo), in the Tri Delta house next door. They married two weeks after Tom’s graduation from Cal.
In 1967, Tom earned his medical degree from Tulane School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana, and then completed an internship and residency in general surgery and urology at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine in 1975. While in San Diego, the Klein family of two became the Klein family of four with the births of their two sons, Karl and Eric. After raising the boys in Caldwell, Idaho, and enjoying his practice of urology as a partner in Idaho Urology Clinic in Nampa and Caldwell, Idaho, Dr. Tom took a sabbatical from the practice of medicine to become a graduate student in lepidopterology at the University of Florida. He traveled to many countries to collect, identify and study butterflies and subsequently to donate his collections to the natural history museums of the University of Florida and the College of Idaho.
Dr. Tom returned to the practice of medicine in 1992, becoming the Chief of Urology at the Portland VA Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. One of his greatest honors was to care for the veterans. He also enjoyed teaching and mentoring medical students, residents and fellows.
Before moving to Meridian, Idaho, in 2018 to be nearer to family, Tom and Ginny spent many happy years of retirement together in Hailey, Idaho.
In addition to his passionate interest in butterflies, Tom also had a wide variety of other interests such as fly fishing, bird hunting, raising exotic orchids, growing wine grapes, building small scale model airplanes, reading, singing and enjoying music of all kinds—from classical to pop. He was an avid Formula One Auto Racing fan. He was a Rotarian—a Paul Harris Fellow. His two favorite quotes were, “measure twice; cut once” and “stop and smell the roses”. He loved his family dearly, was a caring and loyal friend and took the time to “slow down” to appreciate the world around him.
Tom is lovingly remembered by Ginny, his wife of 58 years; his sons, Karl (Rachele) and Eric (Mary Kay); six grandchildren, Taylor (Cooper), Annika, Garrett, Zachary, Paxton, Elliot; and by his nephew, Peter Klein. He was predeceased by his parents, Helen and Bill Klein and his brother, Robert Klein; by in-laws, Carl and Elvera Salo; and by special friend Harry Carlson.
The family would like to extend their thanks for the compassionate care provided by the staff at BrightStar Home Health, Touchmark at Meadow Lake Village and KeyStone Hospice Care.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association or to a charity of one’s choice.
A celebration of life service will be held at 1 p.m., on Jan. 22, 2022, at Hope Lutheran Church, 331 N. Linder Road, Eagle, Idaho, 83616. Remembrances may be left for the family at www.AccentFuneral.com.
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