Each year the friends and family of Jacob Robert Klein gather to remember and celebrate his life. Through the “Adopt a Highway” program they clean up the road ditch west of Kimball on Highway 55. They also plant a tree at the family’s home in Fair Haven. This has been done for the last four years since Jake’s death in 2000. Parents Tim and Dode, along with siblings, help make the day special by serving some of Jake’s favorite foods. They also shared pictures and memories. The group recently met on what would have been Jake’s golden birthday. Jake, a 1999 graduate of KAHS and a member of the Air Force National Guard, had an adventurous and loving spirit. He took advantage of every moment of his life and was a genuine friend to all he met. Jake said it best in an essay that he wrote “…enjoy the little things in life such as a camp fire, a friendly conversation, or a card game. People in the modern world are sometimes so caught up in material things and getting thorough life they forget to enjoy it. Often times they are too busy to realize how lucky they are to be able to smell a fresh summer breeze or watch the setting sun … a person needs to have an equal balance of past, present and future in their life. Work hard toward future goals, learn from past experience, and do not forget to live in the present time because that is what it is all about.” Jake’s spirit continues to touch and inspire people. He is greatly missed but will never be forgotten. Submitted by Sara Becker, Candice Miller and Samara Mackereth
