Shirley Klein's good works will live on in Harford County and beyond [Editorial]

Her grandson, Marshall, said Shirley S. Klein, who died Sept 12, was not a &quot;milk and cookies&quot; kind of grandmother, nor was she a shrinking violet.Speaking at Mrs. Klein's funeral service last week, Marshall Klein recalled how when his grandmother decided to marry his grandfather, Ralph L. Klein, in 1953, she made it clear theirs was to be &quot;a partnership in life and in the community.&quot;She expected to be out in front, not in the background, which was not at all typical for a woman in those days, he noted. Particularly in Harford County, we would add.And, what a partnership Mrs. Klein and her husband, who died in 2014, had. From a bustling country crossroads store started by Mr. Klein's parents in Fallston that they later moved to Forest Hill, sprung the Klein's Supermarkets empire in Harford County and beyond that has been responsible for providing jobs for thousands of our residents spanning multiple generations and scores of good works for our community, many never publicized.Mrs. Klein's oldest son, Andrew, said his mother &quot;lived her life on her own terms.&quot; Michael, her middle son, said he cherished his mother for her fairness, even if she could a tad &quot;impatient.&quot;&quot;She protected 'her turf' no doubt,&quot; he said. &quot;In modern times they refer to persons like this as 'tiger moms.' She was so much more than that for so many others than just her immediate family.&quot;Howard, Mrs. Klein's youngest son, remembered his mother for her fierce devotion to her faith, which she instilled in her sons and grandchildren.Wife, mother, problem solver, community activist, righter of wrongs, defender of Judaism. Shirley Klein was all of those and so much more.&quot;Shirley left her footprints on the sands of time,&quot; said Rabbi Gila Ruskin, of Temple Adas Shalom, who presided at Mrs. Klein's service and likened her friend to Queen Esther, who was a champion of less fortunate people in ancient times.We all have been blessed that Shirley Klein spent her adult life in Harford County. Her legacy will live on in institutions such as our medical facilities, her family's business and our very important SARC program. Most importantly, the examples she provided of humility and wanting to make things better for all should never be forgotten.

Shirley Klein's good works will live on in Harford County and beyond [Editorial]

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