Dorothy (Klein) Stearns

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Stearns, Dorothy (Klein) died peacefully on Saturday, December 16, 2023 after a fierce fight with ovarian cancer. She was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend who will be deeply missed. She is preceded in death by her husband Jerry Stearns, her parents Helen and Stephen Klein, her brother Robert Klein, brother in law Jim Scharf and sister in law Susan Klein. She is survived by her siblings: Bill (Karen) Klein, Tom (Marge) Klein, Richard Klein, and Marcy Scharf; her children: Suzy (KC) Pfluger, Jeff (Stef) Stearns, grandchildren: Ava, Sophie and Luke Pfluger, Kaitlynn (Mason) Carpenter, and Jesse Berres, and many beloved nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Dorothy was born in Chicago, Illinois but grew up in Brainerd, Minnesota. After high school, Dorothy moved to the Twin Cities to attend the University of Minnesota. There she earned her B.S in English and a Teaching Certificate. This was where she met Jerry, who was a graduate student at the U. They married in 1963. They shared a love of Gopher sports and held season basketball tickets for nearly 60 years. Dorothy focused her time as a mom when her children were young. Dorothy was passionate about her politics and a sense of service. She advocated for women's rights and the environment. She was a prolific reader, crafter and sewer. She was the official documentarian on her family's summer road trips. She loved nature, gardening, identifying wildflowers and birds. She loved spending time with family and friends at her cabin on Crow Wing Lake. Dorothy's life was full of music. She sang in a women's choral group for many years. She also loved to take in the rich local music scene. After Jerry's death in 1987, she began a full-time career at Minneapolis Community/Technical College in the bookstore as a buyer and then as a transcript analyst. She worked there until retiring in 2004. Dorothy did not miss any opportunity to participate in sports as an adult. She played tennis weekly for more than 50 years, right up until last fall. Dorothy was instrumental in organizing a women's over 40 soccer league and played for many years. She earned a spot on a MN select team that participated in a national tournament. Many of her soccer teammates and tennis partners remained lifelong friends. Above all else, Dorothy treasured her grandchildren and loved spending time with them and watching their activities. By any measure, Dorothy's life was a full one! A funeral mass and celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, April 6th at St. Joan of Arc Church (4537 3rd Avenue South) in Minneapolis. The visitation will be at 10 am and the mass at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Dorothy's name to the American Cancer Society or the History Theater. Washburn-McReavy.com Nokomis Park Chapel 612-721-1651 1838 E. Minnehaha Parkway

Published on March 3, 2024