Roxanne Klein

Roxanne (Gee) Klein, age 67, passed away July 18, 2014, surrounded by family and friends at her home in rural New Effington, South Dakota.

Funeral services were Thursday, July 24, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Montevideo, MN.

Roxanne "Roxie" Rita Gee was born on May 5, 1947, to Wayne "Bud" and Rita (Doherty) Gee in Montevideo, Minnesota. She grew up in a loving family, with two brothers and three sisters. Roxie had many fond memories of Montevideo, and took great pride in her childhood home. She also spent several summers in Maple Lake with Grandma Doherty with whom she developed a very special relationship.

Roxie graduated from Montevideo High School in 1965 and then attended Saint Cloud State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.  She later earned a master's degree in English from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Roxie taught for over 35 years, first at Breckenridge High School, in Breckenridge, MN, then at the college level at the North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, ND, and finally at Guangxi Normal University in Guilin, China. Roxie also obtained her Certificate for Teachers of Adult ESL (English as a Second Language) from Hamline University in Saint Paul, MN.  While a teacher in Breckenridge, she was highly involved with theatre, directing and judging plays for the state one-act play contest. She enjoyed sharing her love of literature and theatre with the thousands of students she taught over the years.

Roxie was an avid reader; her love of literature was evident by the hundreds of books she owned and shared with others. Roxie loved to travel and embraced all cultures and religions. She was always searching for a different perspective, a way to look at something that would open a new dialog or a new understanding, believing they all had valuable lessons to teach.

Roxie married Arnold E. Klein at Bethania Lutheran Church in Rosholt, SD, on November 21, 1985. Arnie and Roxie raised a blended family of four children in rural New Effington, SD. The house was a flurry of activity until the youngest graduated in 2004. Roxanne officially retired from teaching four years later and spent her retirement traveling, wintering in Florida with friends and spending as much time as she could with her grandchildren.

Roxie is survived by her husband Arnold Klein of rural New Effington; stepdaughter Samina (Kris) Nelson of Silverthorne, CO; son Kyle (Charity) Barina of Saint Louis Park, MN; stepson Jeremiah (Lisa) Klein of rural Rosholt; son Kevin (Whitney) Klein of Rosholt; mother Rita Anderson of Montevideo; sister Dianne Sherva of Brooklyn Park, MN; sister Debbie Gee of Montevideo; brother Kevin Gee of Eagan, MN; sister-in-law Sue Gee of Milan, MN; and stepsister Lorna (Loren) Wolthoff of Minnetonka, MN.   She is also survived by six grandchildren (with two more on the way in September) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Roxie was preceded in death by her father Wayne "Bud" Gee; stepfather Randy Anderson; sister Suzie Redell; and brother Jimmy Gee.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Bridge to Asia Foundation. More information is available at www.bridge.org .

And did you get what

you wanted from this life?

I did.

And what did you want?

To call myself beloved, to feel myself

Beloved on the earth.

-Raymond Carver-