John Bub Klein

Visitation: Friday, February 22, 2008 from 1:00 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus.
Funeral Service: Saturday, February 21, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus.

Interment: Valley View Cemetery.

John Dan Bub Klein, age 87, of Broadus passed away during the early morning hours on Wednesday, February 18, 2009, at the Powder River Manor in Broadus.

John was born December 21, 1921 in Gascoyne, North Dakota, to Daniel and Theresa (Gunther) Klein, when his parents traveled from their Powderville, Montana homestead on Horse Creek to the Gunther family home to have their son. He was raised on the ranch with his 3 sisters, Dorothy, Lucille, and Isabel, attending rural grade school in the area.In 1936, the family moved to Broadus, selling the ranch to Matt Damm in 1937, due to the depression and the drought. Dan and Theresa bought an acre of land in Crane Acres, building a home and starting the Kleins Trucking business. Theresa developed a hospital in her home for Dr. Amicks practice and patients, while also driving truck with Dan. Some of the Klein children learned to drive truck and dove with their parents through their high school years and after.

John attended Powder River County High School, where he participated in sports and gained the nickname Bubbles, because of his full head of wavy, curly hair. He graduated from PRCHS in 1940 and continued trucking with his father, until the trucking business was sold in the mid 1950s. John then drove truck with other local truckers, hauling cattle, sheep, feed, grain, and hay for many farms and ranches in a huge area of Southeastern Montana, Northeastern Wyoming, and Northwestern South Dakota. They also spent many long hours hauling over the road to feedlots as far away as Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, and California.

John and Melva Mae Scherer were married on July 31, 1943, in Broadus, Where they lived and raised their family of five children Johnny (1944), Danny (1948), Nancy (1949), Kerry (1951), and Kelly (1952). They owned and operated Powder River Propane during the 1960s and early 1970s, while Bub assisted on seasonal ranch work during the summer months, slack time in the propane business. They also owned and operated several restaurants in Broadus during those years. Bub Also continued playing baseball after his high school graduation, playing for the Broadus Independents and the Broadus Red Devils, as a pitcher, catcher and outfielder. Many area communities fielded teams during the 1940 and 1950s, competing against their friends and neighbors, bringing the families along for a full day of baseball and picnic tailgating. A Cleveland Indians scout, visiting Powder River County on a hunting trip, took in a local independent baseball game and after observing 38 year old Bub play, made the observation that, If that man was 15 to 20 years younger, he would be playing in the Major Leagues.Bub was a huge baseball fan of the Cleveland Indians, but also shared his loyalties with the Baltimore Oreoles, when Dave McNally from Billings was a pitcher. He traveled with friends several times to Major League Baseball games in Minneapolis, especially when the New York Yankees were in town to play the Twins, so that his son, Danny and Bob Cook, could collect the many autographs from the teams.

He followed the progress of the Seattle Mariners, especially when his grandson, J.D. Klein, was the bullpen catcher for the team for several years, also traveling to Seattle where he watched 6 games in 7 days between the Mariners and the Kansas City Royals, a and Texas Rangers. Watching Nolan Ryan pitch while seated up behind home plate with Mariners family members and team scouts was a special treat, as was the Nolan Ryan autographed baseball that he received.Later, in the 1990s Bub attended the first two baseball games ever held in the brand new Coors Field in Denver between the Colorado Rockies and the New York Yankees during the strike season.

In 1977, John and Melva sold their home and propane business and moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he drove a hot oil truck on road construction projects. They spent many hours tending their garden and fruit trees and beautifully landscaping their own little corner of the world. Visitors, especially their many grandchildren, were always welcome and treated to a special tour of the many features, smells and tastes, especially of the fruit that isnt grown in Montana.In August of 1979, they moved again, to the cooler temperatures and extremes in Casper, Wyoming, where John drove fuel tanker for Johnston Fuel Liners for a short term, then Fleschli Oil.

John and Melva continued with their gardening pastime, turning their Paradise Valley yard into a haven for birds and an adventure for visiting grandchildren to assist in the harvest, or just raid the ripe strawberries and raspberries.After his retirement from Fleschli Oil, Bub and Melva moved to Sheridan for a short stay, but returned to live in Broadus to be among their family and friends. Once again, they spent many long hours in the yard, establishing a beautiful and relaxing yard just in time to celebrate their 59th wedding anniversary in 1993, attended by all of their children and many of their families.

Melva passed away in May of 1994, after a struggle with cancer. John remained in Broadus, with occasional trips to visit families in various states and spending his last years as a resident of the Powder River Manor enjoying the fine care and attention of the dedicated staff. His 80th birthday was celebrated in Broadus in 2002 with most of his family, cousins, and many friends attending. His brightest moments were visits, cards, and pictures of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren with updates on their lives, adventures, and accomplishments.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Dan and Theresa; his wife, Melva; his sisters, Lucille and Isael. He is survived by his sister, Dorothy of Phoenix, AZ; and by his children: Johnny of Broadus, MT; Dan (Linda Bass) of Spokane, WA; Nancy Hoffer of Laramie, WY; Kerry of Wright, WY; and Kelly of Broadus, MT. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 22, 2008 from 1:00 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus. Interment be held at a later date in the family lot of the Valley View Cemetery. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Broadus is in charge of the arrangements. Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Powder River Manor or to the charity of one's choice.