Obituary for June Klein (Hessell)
June (Hessell) Klein, 88, died peacefully on November 4, 2023, at her home in Redondo Beach, CA. June was born in Winthrop, MA, raised in Revere, MA, and lived with her husband, the late David A. Klein, in Medford, MA. June and David, a pharmacist, bought Winchester Drug in Winchester, MA, four months after they were married. They owned and operated the pharmacy for 35 years.
June was 17 and David was 20 when they met playing cards at Revere Beach. David joked that he won her in a card game, but they were both winners, because they were married for 63 years, until David passed away in 2019.
June is the beloved mother of Dr. Susan Berman (Dr. Aaron Berman), Honorable Sandra R. Klein (Richard Faulkner), and Joseph Klein (Colleen Klein) and the adored grandmother of Max Berman, Sarah Berman, Rosie Klein, Sadie Klein, and Mack Klein. June was the dear daughter of the late Samuel and late Esther (Dolly) Hessell, and the sister of the late Marilyn Koek and the late Robert Hessell.
June was her children’s biggest champion, supporter and cheerleader. She was the most amazing, caring, wonderful mother anyone could ever imagine. June emphasized the importance of education to her children. Although June dreamed of being a teacher, she could not afford to go to college immediately after graduating high school. June’s focus on education is reflected by her children’s accomplishments: Susan is a doctor with multiple advanced degrees, Sandra is a federal judge also with multiple advanced degrees, and Joe is a successful options broker.
After June’s children were grown, she decided that it was her turn to pursue her dream of higher education. And she did that with enthusiasm and zeal. In her 60s, she began taking college courses at night, eventually receiving an Associate’s Degree, a Bachelor’s Degree, and a Master’s Degree when she was 75 from Harvard Extension School.
June focused on giving back and making her community a better place. She was co president of Temple Shalom, Medford, MA, with Marilyn Goldberg and Charlotte Bloomberg, after whom the Temple is named. At that time, June was in her 60s, Marilyn was in her 70s and Charlotte was in her late 80s. June took on that responsibility because the next generation was not yet ready to take the reins and she was committed to ensuring that the Temple survived. For many years, June also volunteered at a local hospital, and for programs that helped new mothers and taught adults to read.
June was incredibly brave, fearless, and adventuresome. After living in the Boston area for 84 years, she moved to the Kensington, a brand new, beautiful, assisted living facility in Redondo Beach, CA that she had never seen. She enthusiastically embraced her new life, the warm weather, and the southern California lifestyle, walking to the beach almost every day, sitting on a bench, looking out at the water, and watching dolphins frolic in the surf. She loved participating in the numerous activities and classes the Kensington offered as well as going on outings to museums, plays, movies, restaurants, scenic drives, etc.
June was very artistic and creative. She was great tailor who sewed all her children’s clothes when they were young. She was an outstanding knitter. She created incredible, intricate needlepoints that look like paintings. And she made beautiful stained-glass creations and ceramics that her family cherishes.
June loved to travel: she had a wonderful time visiting England, France and Italy. Closer to home, she went to Las Vegas a couple of years ago and swore off gambling after losing $11. She traveled to Hawaii last year where she got a “sharpie tattoo,” and less than a month ago, she took a road trip to the Grand Canyon, which she had always wanted to see. June was a great sport and loved trying new and different things. She was handcuffed by a Deputy US Marshal in front of a 4th grade class that was visiting the federal courthouse for a mock trial. She sat on a Harley Davidson motorcycle wearing a headband, sunglasses. and fake sleeve of tattoos. And she even tried sushi – what she called “cold raw dead fish.” Maya Angelou said, “People won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” Everyone who met June felt her love, her compassion, her caring, her kindness, and her joy of life.
Services will be held at Temple Shalom, 475 Winthrop St. Medford, MA, on Friday November 17 at 2:00 PM. Interment will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford, MA. The services will be live-streamed, and the link will be available at www.goldmanfc.com. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Loyola Law School Project for the Innocent, Project for the Innocent (lls.edu) and Team Impact, HOME-Team IMPACT.
To View the Service Webcast Click the Link Below:
https://temple-shalom-medford.shulcloud.com/track.php?id=62e9b8d7078c4689afdb5bbea3c98d1c&color=868585&url=https%3A%2F%2Fus06web.zoom.us%2Fj%2F4753651818%3Fpwd%3DbCtJZmM0cXcrNmwwNEwraU45eThBUT09&h=37362
June was 17 and David was 20 when they met playing cards at Revere Beach. David joked that he won her in a card game, but they were both winners, because they were married for 63 years, until David passed away in 2019.
June is the beloved mother of Dr. Susan Berman (Dr. Aaron Berman), Honorable Sandra R. Klein (Richard Faulkner), and Joseph Klein (Colleen Klein) and the adored grandmother of Max Berman, Sarah Berman, Rosie Klein, Sadie Klein, and Mack Klein. June was the dear daughter of the late Samuel and late Esther (Dolly) Hessell, and the sister of the late Marilyn Koek and the late Robert Hessell.
June was her children’s biggest champion, supporter and cheerleader. She was the most amazing, caring, wonderful mother anyone could ever imagine. June emphasized the importance of education to her children. Although June dreamed of being a teacher, she could not afford to go to college immediately after graduating high school. June’s focus on education is reflected by her children’s accomplishments: Susan is a doctor with multiple advanced degrees, Sandra is a federal judge also with multiple advanced degrees, and Joe is a successful options broker.
After June’s children were grown, she decided that it was her turn to pursue her dream of higher education. And she did that with enthusiasm and zeal. In her 60s, she began taking college courses at night, eventually receiving an Associate’s Degree, a Bachelor’s Degree, and a Master’s Degree when she was 75 from Harvard Extension School.
June focused on giving back and making her community a better place. She was co president of Temple Shalom, Medford, MA, with Marilyn Goldberg and Charlotte Bloomberg, after whom the Temple is named. At that time, June was in her 60s, Marilyn was in her 70s and Charlotte was in her late 80s. June took on that responsibility because the next generation was not yet ready to take the reins and she was committed to ensuring that the Temple survived. For many years, June also volunteered at a local hospital, and for programs that helped new mothers and taught adults to read.
June was incredibly brave, fearless, and adventuresome. After living in the Boston area for 84 years, she moved to the Kensington, a brand new, beautiful, assisted living facility in Redondo Beach, CA that she had never seen. She enthusiastically embraced her new life, the warm weather, and the southern California lifestyle, walking to the beach almost every day, sitting on a bench, looking out at the water, and watching dolphins frolic in the surf. She loved participating in the numerous activities and classes the Kensington offered as well as going on outings to museums, plays, movies, restaurants, scenic drives, etc.
June was very artistic and creative. She was great tailor who sewed all her children’s clothes when they were young. She was an outstanding knitter. She created incredible, intricate needlepoints that look like paintings. And she made beautiful stained-glass creations and ceramics that her family cherishes.
June loved to travel: she had a wonderful time visiting England, France and Italy. Closer to home, she went to Las Vegas a couple of years ago and swore off gambling after losing $11. She traveled to Hawaii last year where she got a “sharpie tattoo,” and less than a month ago, she took a road trip to the Grand Canyon, which she had always wanted to see. June was a great sport and loved trying new and different things. She was handcuffed by a Deputy US Marshal in front of a 4th grade class that was visiting the federal courthouse for a mock trial. She sat on a Harley Davidson motorcycle wearing a headband, sunglasses. and fake sleeve of tattoos. And she even tried sushi – what she called “cold raw dead fish.” Maya Angelou said, “People won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” Everyone who met June felt her love, her compassion, her caring, her kindness, and her joy of life.
Services will be held at Temple Shalom, 475 Winthrop St. Medford, MA, on Friday November 17 at 2:00 PM. Interment will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford, MA. The services will be live-streamed, and the link will be available at www.goldmanfc.com. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Loyola Law School Project for the Innocent, Project for the Innocent (lls.edu) and Team Impact, HOME-Team IMPACT.
To View the Service Webcast Click the Link Below:
https://temple-shalom-medford.shulcloud.com/track.php?id=62e9b8d7078c4689afdb5bbea3c98d1c&color=868585&url=https%3A%2F%2Fus06web.zoom.us%2Fj%2F4753651818%3Fpwd%3DbCtJZmM0cXcrNmwwNEwraU45eThBUT09&h=37362