Claudette Glenda Klein, age 86 of Collinsville, IL, born May 28, 1937, in Cleveland, OH, passed away on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at her residence surrounded by family.

Claudette was a graduate from Collinsville High School, Class of 1955, and has served in the Collinsville community in many ways and fashions her whole life.   In her early life, she was an operator with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company where she retired as an engineer after 30 years of service.

She has been a member of First Baptist Church, Collinsville, IL since 2001 where she met her husband and married in 2005.  As an active member of the church, she spent several years in the Choir, and also carried out many other roles within the church.  She loved volunteering for the Halloween extravaganza every year and helping prep for Vacation Bible school for the kids.  She was also involved with the meal prep for funerals at the church.

Claudette's love for travel took her to places that some only dream of visiting.  Traveling with Eldon and her dear friends to places like China, Ireland, Portugal, and many of the Caribbean Islands. Her most favorite trip was a cruise on the Danube River.   And of course, she visited Italy, where both of her parents were born. Both families immigrated to Ellis Island, NY as children before making their way to Cleveland, OH where they met, and Claudette was born.

With her parents owning a couple of restaurants, and Hector Boiardi (aka "Chef Boyardee") being a friend to the family and godfather to Claudette's Aunt, her love for cooking runs deep, and she made sure to carry that thru to her children, grandchildren, and great grands.  It gave her great pleasure teaching all the littles how to cook at a very early age.

She enjoyed entertaining for any reason or occasion, but her true love was decorating the house and cooking up a storm for the family Christmas Eve celebration.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Trisillo and Amy (nee Manzotti) Grisetti; and three sisters:  Gloria Bozzardi, Gilda Cox, and Pat Spreter.

Surviving are her husband, Eldon Klein; a son, Mark (Pam Evans) Adams of Collinsville; two daughters:  Lori Adams of Collinsville, and Stacy Adams of FL; two bonus children:  Erik (Laura) Klein of Plano, TX, and Kendra (Scott) Carson of Edwardsville, IL; 12 grandchildren:  Lauren Adams-Williamson, Danelle Adams, Justin Adams, Gabe Adams, Ronnie Smith, Lezli Gale, Mathew LaFrank, Mason Eads, Colin Eads; three bonus grandchildren:  Abigail Hester, Bryce Carson and Allison Frey; 11 great-grandchildren:  Sadie, Carter, Cameron, Lily, Memphis, Eta, Tegan, Keely, Jaycee, Avery, and Lincoln; four bonus great-grandchildren:  Collins, Hadley, Brynn, and Blair; and seven nieces and nephews.

At Claudette's request, her body was donated to Washington University School of Medicine for the advancement of science.  A Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Collinsville.

Memorials may be made in her honor to First Baptist Collinsville, National Jewish Health or American Lung Association and will be received at Barry Wilson Funeral Home, 2800 N. Center Street, Maryville, IL 62062.