Thomas Joseph "Tom" Klein passed away peacefully at home on Monday April 20, 2026, surrounded by family and loved ones and with his dog Bella by his side.

Tom was born to Sebastian "Sam" and Katie Klein (nee Cool) on August 25, 1937, in St. Louis, MO.  Beloved husband of the late Virginia Carolyn Klein (nee Schwarz), dear father of Mary Kathleen "Kathy" George and Robert "Bob" O'Connor (Caroline), loving grandfather of Paul, Brian, and Mary Challen O'Connor and brother of late Harry Klein (Kay) and his nephews Al and Chris Klein.

Tom served his country proudly as a member of U.S. Navy from 1955 to 1959.  He was a member of the Naval Construction Battalion, known as the Seabees, and spent much of his service in the Philippines, Guam, and other Pacific locales.  He was extremely proud to be a navy veteran and remained friends with many of his fellow Sailors for the remainder of their lives.

Tom was an entrepreneur and following his military service he became the owner/operator of Airport Checker Cab Company, working out of Lambert St, Louis airport for nearly four decades. Tom loved being out on the road, meeting new people and getting them to where they needed to be. Long before the days of GPS and smart phones, Tom knew just about every street and location throughout the St. Louis metroplex.  He was frequently consulted for directions on how to get to various places and always knew the best way to get there.

As a younger man, Tom was an avid sportsman who excelled at competitive rifle shooting, winning numerous awards for marksmanship and scoring highly in national and regional rankings. Tom also loved to hunt fowls, including quail, pheasant, and of course ducks.  Tom loved ducks and visitors found his home adorned with duck keepsakes in nearly every room.  From duck pictures, to placemats, to glasses, plates, playing cards, and other knick-knacks. If it had a duck on it, Tom wanted it!  His prize was a stuffed duck he had mounted on the wall in his basement sitting room.

In 1981, Tom met the love of his life, the late Virginia "Jinny" Klein. They married in 1982 and lived together in Harmann Estates in Bridgeton until her passing in 2019.  The pair loved to travel the open road, visiting various states and regions throughout the country.  They shared a love of Cardinals baseball and traveled to Florida numerous times to attend spring training where they collected autographs, baseballs, pictures, and other memories on their many visits to Jupiter Florida.  Tom and Jinny were inseparable, and their relationship was one to admire.

Outside of work and travel, Tom's favorite hobby was collecting pocketknives. He had an amazing collection of knives of all sizes, colors, and materials. He spent hours thumbing through magazines, looking for the perfect knife to catch his eye and add to his collection.  Tom enjoyed spontaneously giving one of his knives to a family member or friend, simply to put a smile on their face and share his love of his hobby.  Another love of Tom's was DIY projects.  Tom's highly organized basement toolroom was the envy of all.  If you needed a special tool, Tom had it, and he was always willing to lend a hand with a project or task.

Tom continued to work into retirement, serving the City of Bridgeton as a beloved van driver, shuttling senior citizens around to various places via the Bridgeton Community Center.  He ultimately "hung up his keys" in his late 70s but continued to meet with his former coworkers for lunches out and other fun activities.  Tom was known for his hard work, reliability, integrity, commitment, and his good sense of humor.

Tom joined his wife and brother in eternity on the evening of April 20th and will be missed by everyone who knew and loved him.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 1, from 4:00 - 8:00 PM at Collier's Funeral Home, 3400 North Lindbergh Blvd. (St. Ann, MO).  Funeral mass Saturday, May 2, 10:00 AM at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 3130 Parkwood Ln. (Maryland Heights). Interment at Calvary cemetery.