Samantha Klette

Samantha (Sam) Aline Klette, 92, passed away on February 6, 2021.  Beloved wife of the late Jack Klette Sr.  Loving mother of George (Sharon) Klette, Cindy Senour, Jack Jr (Svetlana) Klette, and Jill (the late Jim) Conkel.  Dear grandmother of 9 and great grandmother of 15.  Dear sister of Roger (Phillis) Whiles, the late Lois (George “Kess”) Kessinger, the late Mim (the late Tom) Ranshaw, the late Joyce (the late George) Frentsos and sister-in-law to the late Charles (the late Ayleen) Klette and the late Raymond (Joanne) Klette.  She also leaves behind 21 nieces and nephews and her ex-son-in-laws Tom Senour and Dan Kreitzer.  Family and friends may visit Wednesday, February 17, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Vorhis & Ryan Funeral Home, 11365 Springfield Pike, Springdale, Ohio 45246.   A closed casket funeral service gathering begins Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 12:00 PM at Vorhis & Ryan Funeral Home, 11365 Springfield Pike, Springdale, Ohio 45246.

A life Remembered

Sam was born December 16, 1928 in Cincinnati to Martha and Grandon Whiles both from around Somerset, KY.  The 3rd of 5 surviving children, she grew up as part of a generation that learned the meaning of sacrifice and duty during the great depression and WWII.  Spending summers in Kentucky with her grandparents and a large network of extended family, she enjoyed simple pleasures that wove themselves into countless stories for our amusement.  Close to her siblings, she and her sisters had the amazing ability to cackle for long periods of time that was infectiously joyous to all around.  It was this connection to family that united so many cousins growing up.

She was the first in her family to graduate from high school (Lockland) which was an accomplishment that she was very proud of given the circumstances she had to overcome.  As a teenager during the war she helped roll bandages for the Red Cross at Sterns & Foster.  Touched by history, she remembered longingly of a beautiful yellow dress she never got to wear to her junior high school graduation dance that was canceled since it just happened to be on D-Day.  She worked various jobs downtown starting at the age of 15 which included cafes, department stores and even a stint as a switch board operator.  As an independent young woman, she moved in with a dear friend Johanna and lived in Newport where she met her first husband George Shumate who tragically died early on in a hunting accident.

Rebounding from grief, she found work at Kahn’s meat packing plant.  After some time it is fair to say she met the “love of her live” Jack.  They were married in 1958 and he gladly adopted her first two children and added two more.  He was dad to all and she was devoted to him in every manner as he progressed in his printing career at Johnson & Hardin.  For 6 years in the 1960’s, they owned and operated a Pony Keg as a side business in Montgomery.  During this time she strengthened bonds with her brother Roger and nephew Pete.   They moved from Northside to Finneytown to West Chester over the years and enjoyed a rich life together with family and friends.  In 1983 Jack died prematurely from cancer, just short of their 25th wedding anniversary.  But mom did what she learned growing up; she survived and moved forward.  She never remarried, nor even dated.  She had no desire and was devoted to his memory.

She was a very strong lady and had the innate drive like so many of her generation to do the right thing.  She moved to Fairfield and soon retired from Kmart in Sharonville in 1989 and involved herself in the grandma role full time. In 1996 she reinvented herself yet again by moving to Las Vegas where she took on a new lease in life by volunteering at the blind center teaching arts and crafts to the seeing impaired and of course playing bingo!  She was good at both.  Over the years, her home was decorated with beautiful handmade items like ceramics, flower arrangements, quilts, afghans and assorted  crafts.  Many of these are keepsake treasures that have been handed out to the family.

Having lived with George and Sharon in Las Vegas for 10 plus years, she finally moved back home to Cincinnati in 2019 where she spent her final days in company of Jack, Svetlana and two dogs she loved dearly CiCi and Jai-Jai.  Of her 4 kids, she had managed to spend a significant portion of time with each during a different decade of her life.  Whether it was in her 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s Cindy, Jill, George, Jack and their families enjoyed her company and attention.

In good health to the end, she died of complications from a fall and broken bone.  Her passing was relatively quick and painless, dying peacefully at home with loved ones nearby.

She is united with her soul mate Jack and cackling again with her sisters in Heaven now.  We were lucky to have been touched by her.  May God bless her soul and may she rest in eternal peace.

UPDATE - ONLINE FUNERAL SERVICE - SAMANTHA KLETTE
Thursday February 18 at noon - 2 ways to join:
A)  Via Facebook

Go to Vorhis and Ryan Funeral Homes Facebook page
No link or password is needed.  You may need a Facebook account.
Scroll down to the video section and click on and make it full screen.
Note it will say LIVE if it is in process.  Otherwise it will be a recording.

B)  Via Zoom

At the right time, click on this link.
Join in a few minutes early to make sure you are set up.
https://zoom.us/j/96826234093
Click launch meeting.  Enter password 123456
If by laptop, you will have a link to download software when you click on this.
If  by phone, you have to download the zoom app first.

Thank you and see you online !!