Ross J. Klein, 87, of Gothenburg, Nebraska, died June 19, 2017 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, NE.

He was born November 29, 1929 south of Farnam, NE, son of Louis and Nona (Hayworth) Klein.

Ross went to country school south of Farnam and completed 8 years in 7. He then graduated from Curtis Agricultural High School. He earned his degree in Electricity and Allied Electronics from a trade school in Lincoln in 1952. Ross was very active with sports in high school. He enjoyed boxing and never lost a bout. He won his first bout by TKO in 37 seconds in the first round. He liked to tell that he had never had on boxing gloves before or even boxed before his first bout. He boxed for 2 years in Golden Gloves and won all rounds except one draw on point.

Ross farmed and ranched south of Farnam from 1950 to 1985. In 1952 he briefly moved to Lincoln and worked at Mead Ammunition Depot because of crop loss due to hail. He also operated an electrical business and sold NK Seeds during those years. Ross bought an electronics business in Fort Morgan, CO in 1985. He sold that business in 1997 and moved to Greeley, CO to work for Sears appliance sales division. He also sold Honda & Toyota cars until May of 2000 when he went to work for Successful Farming Magazines. He spent the next 11 years traveling thru Colorado, Wyoming, western Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota as a supervisor of sales and demographics of farm information. In 2007 Ross and Carolyn moved to North Platte. In 2015 Ross and Carolyn moved to Gothenburg.

Ross loved all animals and birds. He was so proud of his family and was a firm believer in honest hard work. Ross married Jean Whisler on October 1, 1950 to this union five children were born: Rhonda, Deb, Doug, Cindy, and Eric. He was married to Evonne Knapp in 1989, and married Carolyn Anderson on September 21, 2006.

Survivors include: his wife Carolyn Klein; three daughters, Rhonda (Doug) Hill of Farnam, Deb (Ed) Krone of Gothenburg, Cindy (Rod) Troyer of Greeley, CO; two sons, Doug (Paula) Klein Moorefield, Eric Klein of Greeley, CO; one brother, Raymond Klein of Trenton; aunt, Darlene Klooz of Sargent; 43 grandchildren, 75 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; along with many nieces and nephews extended family and friends.

Ross was preceded in death by father, Louis Klein, mother, Nona M. Klein, sister, Ruth Klein, brother, Russell Klein, Evonne Knapp, Jean Klein.

Visitation will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, Nebraska; Sunday, June 25, 2017, 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm with the family present from 4:00 - 6:00.

Services will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, June 26, 2017 at 1:00 pm with Greg Boller officiating.

Interment will follow in the Maywood Cemetery, Maywood, Nebraska.

Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, 20 June 2017