Garrett Christian Klein, 32, and his son, Bennett Derby Kelin, 4, passed away Sunday, December 28, 2003, in an automobile accident in Tifton on their way home from Florida. Their funeral service was held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 2, 2004, at the Frist Baptist church in Nashville, Tennessee.
Garrett was born on March 17, 1971, in Worcester, Massachusetts to Drs. Richard B. and Carol E. Klein. When Garrett was 11, his family moved to Oxford, Mississippi, when his father became chairman of the Department of Modern Languages at the University of Mississippi.
Garrett graduated from Oxford High School in 1989 and earned a BA in 1993, at the University of Pennsylvania with a major in psychology and a minor in Spanish.
During his four years of undergraduate school, he had a work study position in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduating from college, he moved into the position of Admissions Office at Vanderbilt University.
He married Stacy Stansell, whom he had first known in Oxford High School in August 1993, and they moved to Nashville, Tennessee to begin their careers. With an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a MS in engineering from Drexel University, Stacy eventually completed her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University.
Garrett continued his active career in undergraduate admissions at Vanderbilt University, recently assuming the position of senior associate director of that office.
In addition to his work responsibilities, which included considerable travel to recruit students for Vanderbilt and frequent presentations at professional conferences, he completeda master's degree at Tennessee State University in 2001.
From childhood, under the guidance of his maternal grandfather, Garrett became an avid amateur short-wave radio operator. He enjoyed sports, especially racquet ball and was a pianist.
His only son, Bennett, was the joy of his life and was born prematurely on May9, 1999, at Vanderbilt University. Bennett amazed everyone whom he'd met with his keen intelligence and verbal dexterity, reading chapter books and working with math problems from an early age.
Just prior to the accident, he, his parents and maternal grandparents had enjoyed a visit to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Bennett attended pre-school at West End United Methodist Day School. He took swimming and music lessons and enjoyed playing computer games.
Garrett's father preceded him in death.
Garrett is survived by his wife, Dr. Stacy S. Klein; his sister, Lauren Monika Klein of Paris, France; his mother, Dr. Carol E. Fox and step-father, Dr. Arturo A. Fox of West Chester; and his paternal grandparents, Elmer and Bertha Ebersol of West Chester.
Bennett is survived by his mother, Stacy; his maternal grandparents, Stanley and Patricia Stansell; paternal grandmother, Carol; his aunt, Lauren; and his maternal great-grandmother, Ethel Donovan.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Garrett C. Klein Fund at Vanderbilt University, c/o Gift Records Office, VU Station B 357727, 2301 Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235.