Mark H. Klein

Service : Tuesday, October 6th at 12:15 pm
Service Location: Shalom Chapel Service
Shalom Memorial Funeral Home
1700 West Rand Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Interment:
Shalom Memorial Park
1700 West Rand Road
Arlington Heights

Shiva Information

The Family will be receiving call of condolence at:
The Pozin Residence
443 Red Oak Lane
Highland Park, Illinois 60035

Tuesday following the service until 9 PM

Contributions
ASPCA
http://www.aspca.org/donate

Mark Klein, 69, died on October 1, 2026. He was a father, a storyteller, an animal lover, and a man who appreciated red meat, a drink, and the chance to make someone laugh. He was a proud father of Ryan (Hillary Wilson) and Kari (Andreas Hartmann); son of the late Sol and Elsa; brother of Alan and the late Larry; best friend and former husband of Lauren (nee Burke) Klein; partner of Barbara Guidry and treasured friend. Born in Chicago on March 5, 1957, Mark often told his children stories about growing up there, like playing baseball and the drums, the first one to be outspoken and not put up with any nonsense, and, by his own accounts, probably giving his teachers a few headaches. Those stories offered a glimpse of the mischievous young man whose humor stayed with him throughout his life. By his senior year of high school, Mark had moved with his family to Miami. While working at his parents’ sub shop, he met Lauren. They later moved to Long Island, New York, where they started their family, welcoming Ryan in 1986 and Kari in 1990. In 1994, they moved to Coral Springs, Florida, so their children could grow up closer to all of their grandparents. Ryan and Kari remember their dad at the barbecue and occasionally eating a bug just for the shock and laughter that followed. They remember him cleaning the pool he rarely used and fixing cars and air conditioners without instructions, relying on intuition and an ability to figure things out. Mark was happiest with familiar comforts: a spot on the couch, a black-and-white movie on Turner Classic Movies, an episode of Jeopardy!, or a documentary about World War II. When he went out, a dive bar was more his style. He had a remarkable store of knowledge about history, politics, movies, and music from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, making him a reliable source for a trivia answer or a story from another time. Beneath his humor, Mark was deeply sentimental. His parents were Holocaust survivors, and he honored them by sharing their stories and keeping their memories alive with his children and friends. He was often nostalgic for the past, holding tightly to the people, places, and memories that mattered to him. He was always a great listener, understanding people and always lending a supportive ear and quality time for those he loved. His love for animals revealed a particularly tender part of him. His first family dog, Kelly, gave his children their first remembered glimpse of their dad crying. In later years, he was devoted to his dog Koby and was devastated by his loss. He also cared for neighborhood cats before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, to be closer to Ryan. During his last years there, some of his greatest joys were spending time with Ryan, his dog Ada, and his girlfriend, Barbara. Mark was always up for a joke and a good time. His children will remember his humor alongside his sentimentality, his stories alongside his practical ingenuity, and the unmistakably particular way he moved through the world. We will miss our dad very much. His life ended too soon, and we wish we had more time. Memorial donations in his name may be to ASPCA, www.aspca.org/donate. Chapel service, Tuesday, October 6, 2026; 12:15 PM at Shalom Memorial Funeral Home 1700 W. Rand Road, Arlington Heights, IL. Interment to follow at Shalom Memorial Park. For the link to view the service, shiva information and to leave condolences: www.shalommemorial.org or (847) 255-3520.