Klein, John J. “Jack” died on Sunday, April 13, 2008, at the age of 83. He was born in Cambridge on April 13, 1925, and graduated from Cambridge Latin in 1942. Jack entered Northeastern University and completed his freshman year before being called to serve in the United States Navy on July 27, 1943. It was the Navy that helped him to continue his electrical engineering studies at Newport. He was all set to set sail for the South Pacific on a repair ship but was transferred the USS Vixen in the Atlantic instead. He was honorably discharged on March 15, 1946, as Electronic Technician’s Mate Second Class.
Returning from military life, Jack went back to Northeastern University receiving his B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1949. He taught the same subject at his alma mater for the next seven years and earned his M.S.E.E. in 1955. He continued to teach at Northeastern but as a professor in the night school for the next 35 years. In 1956, he joined RCA in their defense department as Senior Engineer Scientist. During his tenure, he was part of the team responsible for the color TV that went to the moon and was instrumental in developing the retrorocket technology that allowed the L.E.M. to liftoff from the moon’s surface. He retired from RCA (GE) in 1989 and from NU in 1993. He was a member of the Westwood Lion’s Club, the American Legion and the VFW as well as being active in St. Margaret Mary’s Church.
Jack married Ruth O’Hara in 1951 and they had two children. When Ruth passed away in 1992, he visited with his brother and family in California. It was in Anaheim that he met Betty Woolf who was a widow with one child. They were married and moved to California in October 1994. In Anaheim, he was active in the Knights of Columbus.
Beloved by many he is survived by his wife Betty (CA), his daughter and her husband Audrey and Joe Williams of South Boston, MA;, his son John J. Klein Jr. (UT), and stepson Joseph Woolf (CA) as well as his brother Edward (CA), and sister Carol Callahan (Burlington, MA) in addition to many nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed on both coasts by his family and many friends.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the Funeral Mass on Saturday in St. Margaret Mary’s Church at 845 High St., Westwood, at 10:00 AM. Visiting hours are at the Keohane Funeral Home at 785 Hancock St. Quincy; on Friday 4 - 8 PM. Burial is in the Westwood Cemetery, Westwood. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jack Klein may be made to the American Heart Assn. at 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. Call 1-800-Keohane or see www.Keohane.com for directions & online condolences.