MERLIN "RED" KLEIN

March 3, 1935 - December 30, 2018

Merlin J. (Red) Klein, 83, passed away peacefully on December 30, 2018 at Tweeten Memory Care in Spring Grove. Merlin was born in Caledonia to Steve and Justina (Weis) Klein on March 3, 1935. Following his graduation from Caledonia High School, he farmed with his father until taking over the 4th generation family farm. On December 5, 1969, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Merlin married the love of his life, Lois (Schulze). Lois later affectionately cared for him as long as she physically could thru his battle with Alzheimer’s. They had 3 children, Linda, Jacqueline, and Julie. Merlin was a lifetime member of St. Mary’s Parish. He was a dairy farmer and loved his animals with many of them becoming his pets. With retirement from farming, he was a maintenance person/groundskeeper at Camp Winnebago and later drove bus for Schmitz Bus Service where he enjoyed the kids who were on his route. Red was known for his excellent trapshooting skills and knowledge of guns. He enjoyed bowling, trapshooting, hunting big and small game throughout the years (moose, elk, bear, deer, turkey, and squirrel), fishing and actively participating in these activities with his daughters. Red loved his family and his grandchildren very much. Merlin was preceded in death by his daughter Jacqueline, his parents, sister Winifred (Chuck) Sheehan, brothers Gaylord and Miles Klein, mother and father-in-law Ormond and Vilas Schulze, sister-in-law Darlene(Richard) Mickelberg, brothers-in-law Richard Schulze, Larry Schulze, Roger Schulze, Richard Popp, and Arden Krueger Jr. Merlin is survived by his wife Lois, daughters Linda (Mark) Coffield and Julie (Brian) Olinger, grandchildren Collin (Elissa) Coffield, Carson Coffield, Sierra Olinger and Brayden Olinger, brothers-in-law Kenneth (Dorothy Kruse) Schulze, Robert (Judy) Schulze, sisters-in-law Shirley Schulze, Mary Popp, Diane Schulze, Leigh Schulze Goetzinger and Virginia Klein, along with many nieces and nephews. Merlin will be deeply missed by his family and all that knew him. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 am on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia. Father Thomas Jennings will officiate and burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia. Visitation will be Friday from 4-7 pm, at St. Mary’s Holy Family Hall, with a prayer service at 7 pm. Visitation will also be from 10-11 am Saturday morning before the service at the church.