Individual Details

Research of Elvera Block Klein: The Custer County Chief newspaper, Issue of Jan. 12, 1939 printed in Broken Bow, Custer County, Nebraska. Wayne T. Klein, 26. Young farmer lost life in tractor accident SW of Callaway. Wayne Theodore Klein was born near Callaway, Nebraska on August 19, 1912, the son of Louis H. and Bertha M. Klein. He died on December 30, 1938, at the age of 26 years, four months and 11 days. His death occurred when the tractor which he was driving upset on the side of a canyon on the Clarence Rodine farm southwest of Callaway. He, with several others, was preparing to saw wood when the tractor went over the rim of the canyon and overturned. Wayne was the youngest of 3 children. He spent his boyhood days on the farm with his parents. For six years, he attended Fairview School then he finished elementary education at the Cottonwood School. In 1936, he secured work as a section-hand on the Union Pacific Railroad at Gothenburg, Nebraska, which work he continued for two years. On April 3, 1937, he was married to Luella M. Fochtman at Kearney, Nebraska. They made their home in Gothenburg, Nebraska, until the spring of 1938, when they moved to the Morning Star community. For the past few weeks, they had lived with his parents and were planning to farm there the coming year. Wayne was a member of the Morning Star Church which he joined in April of 1923. He leaves to mourn his departure his wife, his parents, one brother Elmer Klein of Gothenburg, one sister, Mrs. Harvey Stevens of Blue Hill, Nebraska; two aged grandmothers, Mrs. Addie Kirkpatrick of Cozad, Nebraska and Mrs. Caroline Klien of Hamburg, Iowa; a number of other relatives and many friends. The funeral was held at the Morning Star Evangelical Church. Interment was made in the Stop Table Cemetery west of Callaway, Nebraska. (rural Custer County, note).

Ron Klein stated in May 2004 that Wayne's widow never remarried. She still lives in the Dawson County area.

Birth	19 Aug 1912	Callaway, Custer Co., Nebraska
Marriage	3 Apr 1937	Kearney, Buffalo Co., Nebraska - Luella M. Fochtman
Death	30 Dec 1938	Callaway, Custer Co., Nebraska
Burial		Stop Table Cemetery, Callaway, Custer Co., Nebraska

Spouse

Luella M. Fochtman (1913 - 2003)

Father	Louis Henry Klein (1883 - 1969)
Mother	Bertha Mary Kirkpatrick (1885 - 1964)
Sibling	Blanche Myrtle Klein (1905 - 1994)
Sibling	Fred "Elmer" Klein (1910 - 1984)