Lydia G. Klein

Lydia G. Klein, age 91 years, of Raritan Township, NJ, went to be with her Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, December 24, 2021, at Rolling Hills Care Center, Lebanon, NJ.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, on February 13, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Harold B. and Mary L. (Dezendorf) Pretlove. Through the years, her family moved to Queens, NY, Short Hills, NJ, and Long Valley, NJ. They also enjoyed spending summers at Culver’s Lake in Frankford, NJ.

Lydia began playing violin in middle school, and also took up clarinet in order to play in the Millburn, HS marching band. She graduated from Millburn in 1948, then went on to earn both Bachelors (1952) and Masters (1954) degrees in education from Bob Jones University. She taught every level from kindergarten through fifth grade in both private and public schools. It was while she was teaching in the Bridgewater-Raritan, NJ school district that she met a fellow teacher who would become her husband, Robert Klein.

Married for almost 26 years, Bob & Lydia had two children, and she was thrilled to be a stay-at-home mother. She was also a Girl Scout leader, Marching Band Parent, and a poll worker on election days for many years. Lydia attended Heritage Baptist Church, where she was known as the “card lady” for her distribution of birthday cards, anniversary cards, and get well cards.

She is pre-deceased by her husband Robert W. Klein; three siblings, Bruce Pretlove, David Pretlove, and Sybel Stahl; one brother-in-law, Fred Stahl; and her stepmother, Leona Pretlove.

Surviving are her two children, Timothy R. Klein of Flemington, NJ, and Heather Russell and her husband, Daniel of State College, PA; two sisters, Barbara Mooney and her husband, Myron of Trinity, AL, and Janice Gardner and her husband, Timothy of Enoree, SC; a sister-in-law, Deidre Pretlove of Enoree, SC; a brother-in-law, Albert P. Klein, Jr. of Clinton, NJ; two grandchildren, Matthew Russell and Megan Russell, both of State College, PA; and fifteen nieces and nephews and their families.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at 10:00 AM in the Heritage Baptist Church, 1 Autumn Leaf Drive, Flemington, NJ, under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ. Interment will follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Flemington, NJ. Calling hours will be held Monday, January 3, 2022, from 4:00-7:00 PM in the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home and Tuesday, January 4, 2022, from 9:00-10:00 AM in the Heritage Baptist Church.

Memorial Contributions in Lydia’s name may be made to the Heritage Baptist Church, 1 Autumn Leaf Drive, Flemington, NJ, or Chosen People Ministries, 241 E 51st Street, New York, NY 10022.

For further information or to send an online condolence, please visit Lydia's tribute wall at www.holcombefisher.com.