Milo Klein

Funeral services for Milo Klein, Jr. were held on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at the Burke Civic Center in Burke, SD, with Pastor Mark Tuttle officiating. Janice and Dennis Grenoble and Darlene and Ron Shattuck were in charge of registration. Flower attendants were Sharon’s sisters. Casket bearers were Simon Klein, Matt Dorsey, Braden Hutchison, Kurt Frank, Kory Frank, Breven Bolander, Brennen Bolander, and James Klein. Burial was in the Graceland Cemetery in Burke, SD. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Milo Russell Klein, Jr. was born February 25, 1957, to Milo O. and Mary Katherine (Carr) Klein in Lexington, NE. After a few years in Lexington, Milo returned with his family to Burke, SD, where he attended country school and graduated from Burke High School in 1975. In high school, Milo excelled in track and football and participated in the state track meet all four years of his high school career. He was a place winner at the state track meet three years. Milo was honored at the Burke High School Meet of Legends as a 2022 inductee. After graduating from high school, though Milo had an offer to play football for the University of South Dakota, he chose to begin a five-year career with Sperry New Holland in Lexington, NE. While working at Sperry New Holland, Milo met Patricia Faye Deibert, and they were married May 10, 1980. Pat brought to the marriage two sons, Michael John and Matthew David Dorsey, who Milo loved as his own. Milo and Pat went on to have a daughter, Elizabeth Faye (Lizzy) and a son, Simon Russell.

In 1983, Milo and Pat achieved their life-long dream of owning their own ranch when they were able to purchase land just outside of Gregory. When Milo and Pat purchased the ranch, Farm Service Agency advised them that they would either need to milk cows or raise pigs. Milo had never milked a cow in his life and had no desire to raise pigs, so he took the lesser of two evils and together they grew a dairy operation to become the top producing dairy herd in the region, achieving many awards for their dairy production. After many years, Milo and Pat were able to say good-bye to the dairy cows and begin their next adventure of custom haying. Milo and Pat built a well-respected custom haying business that provided their livelihood for many years and produced lifelong friends. Milo and Pat began their farming and ranching career which they continued together until Pat was tragically taken on March 13, 2004. Milo’s hard work and dedication in the farming and ranching business produced state yield winning contests in soybeans and 300-bushel per acre corn. Milo also started a commercial Angus bull business, known as Magic Mountain Angus, selling top quality bulls throughout the region.

Milo met Sharon Kueter, and they were married on December 22, 2007. Sharon loved and embraced Milo’s family and the ranch. Sharon and Milo enjoyed playing cards with friends, leisurely drives through the countryside, ordering take-out and watching the grandchildren’s events via livestream. Milo held a deep respect for his parents, and his children carried that same respect for Milo.

Milo’s biggest joy in life was his family, especially his grandchildren, and he loved to watch and cheer them on in sports, fine arts, hunting, demolition derby, or wherever their passion took them.

As with everything in his life, Milo fought hard when diagnosed with cancer in 2011. He passed away on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Community Memorial Hospital in Burke, SD, at the age of 67.

Milo was preceded in death by his first wife, Pat; his infant brother; his grandparents Simon and Emma Klein and Bob Carr and Elizabeth Carr.

Milo is survived by his wife Sharon; his daughter Lizzy (Braden) Hutchison; sons Simon (Melissa) Klein, Matt (Alison Newcomer), and Michael (Nicki) Dorsey; his parents Milo O. and Kathy Klein; his sisters Tammy (Jan) Miller and Jeanette (Kelly) Frank; grandchildren: Ashley, Madi, Enoch, Hunter, Madelyn, Makayla, Hadley, Sawyer, Brecken, Breven, Brennen, James, Lily and Violet; and eight great-grandchildren.