Richard C. Klein

Richard Charles Klein, of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on January 9th, 2025. He was the beloved husband of Nina Klein, loving father of Eugene Shumkov, proud grandfather of Gena Gao, and cherished grand uncle of Jenna Vermont.

Born in St. Louis on January 5th, 1948, Rich was the son of the late Lillian (Baum) Klein and Charles Klein. He was preceded in death by his sister, Judy (Klein) Vermont, and nephews, Jack Vermont and Bobby Vermont.

Rich earned a BA in Economics from the University of Illinois Chicago and was ABD PhD in Economics at the University of Chicago. While at UChicago, he developed a lifelong interest in Economics and Finance and a lifelong addition to aquarium smoked BBQ. He dedicated his career to his work as an actuary, holding positions at CNA Insurance, Jaffe & Associates, Wolfman & Moscovitch, and First Penn-Pacific Life Insurance Company in Chicago, where he ended his career as a Senior Vice President.

After his retirement, Rich dove back into academics, completing a master's degree in Computer Science at UChicago, while getting a sneaky weekly fix of Ribs and Bibs. He volunteered to do taxes for his friends and family, a normally odious task he seemed to oddly enjoy, and his Excel spreadsheets were the stuff of legend. In retirement, Rich enjoyed shooting pool with friends at the Illinois Billiards Club and Red Shoes Billiards on the South Side, smoking BBQ in his backyard, and watching movies in his home theatre. 

He will be remembered for having a voluminous memory, a sharp mind, and a kind heart.

Visitation will be Friday, January 17th from 3-6 PM with a service at 5 PM at Leonard Funeral Home, 565 Duane St. Glen Ellyn. We will gather at the funeral home on Saturday at 10 AM in preperation for burial at Queen of Heaven Cemetery at 11:30 AM.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Richard C. Klein, please visit our floral store.