Obituary of Heather Kay Klein

Heather Kay Klein, 48, of Bloomington, Minnesota, was called to her heavenly home on June 7, 2023 after bravely enduring the treatments and illness that cancer brought into her life. It would be wrong to say that Heather lost her battle because she never stopped fighting. No matter how sick she was, she was always determined. She has taught all those who knew her what resilience and perseverance truly look like. Her final moments were spent peacefully with her husband and boys. Heather will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 19 years, Shawn, and her boys, Ian, Carter and Bryson. She was an amazing wife, mother, daughter, grand-daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, colleague, and friend. She touched the lives of so many people. She will truly be missed by all those who knew her and will never, ever be forgotten.

Heather was born January 23, 1975 in Alta, Iowa. After Heather graduated from Alta High School in 1993, she went on to study psychology at Coe College, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She continued her education at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois and Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana where she earned her doctorate in counseling psychology.

After obtaining her PhD, Heather worked at Fairview Riverside Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health unit as a therapist. While there she gained experience and more importantly some very important lifelong friends. Heather became a Licensed Psychologist and following her time at Fairview, she entered private practice, most recently at Parkdale Therapy Group in St. Louis Park. She has helped countless individuals and families work through some of life’s toughest challenges. Helping people was one of her many passions. From this grew another passion for Heather as she became heavily involved in the Minnesota Society for Clinical Hypnosis (MSCH). She became certified in hypnosis therapy and used it in her practice. She did not stop there as she continued to teach others the craft and served on the MSCH board, most recently as co-President – a position she held at the time of her passing.

Heather’s professional life did not define her, nor did cancer. She was so much more to so many people. Heather was a force in so many lives, teaching us all in quiet, and sometimes very loud ways, how to live fully and love the same. She was one of the toughest individuals you would ever find. She was a “doer” and she never stopped “doing.” Even when cancer entered her life, she didn’t stop and didn’t give it one more minute than she had to. She dealt with it and moved on teaching us that “WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.”

Heather loved her family fiercely. Her husband and her boys were her number one priority. Her goal was to raise her boys to be gentlemen and to love and respect all people. She did this through words and by example. She did not define her family by whom she was related but by whom she was able to connect with. Heather was a master at building connections. Whether it was in her work, her involvement on the church intern committee or simply while cheering on her boys at their various activities, her genuine and authentic personality allowed her to form deep bonds with others. She made others feel heard and understood, giving them a sense of belonging. She loved and cared for people unconditionally.

Everyone Heather encountered would agree that she made them a better person.

Heather is survived by her husband, Shawn, sons Ian, Carter and Bryson; grandparents Andy and Joyce Anderson of Alta, Iowa; father, Paul (Mindy) Anderson of Aurelia, Iowa; brother Paul (Sacha) Anderson and daughters Sienna and Jocelyn of Brookline, New Hampshire; sister Keisha Crittenden and daughters Piper, Harper, and Kinsley of Daphne, Alabama; sister Angelina (Tim) Nelton and daughters Katlynn and Paige of Ankeny, Iowa; father/mother-in-law Dave and Barb Klein of Dell Rapids, South Dakota; sister-in-law Tammie (Mike) Golio and daughters Ella and Abby of Osseo, Minnesota; brother-in-law Mitch (Carrie) Klein and son Maddex and daughter Sienna of Baltic, South Dakota; as well as many close uncles, aunts and cousins.

Heather’s Celebration of Life will be held at: St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 8400 France Avenue South, Bloomington, Minnesota on Friday, June 23, 2023 at 2:00pm. Visitation will be prior to the service beginning at 12:30pm. 

In lieu of flowers, consider a memorial donation to the family who will, in turn, determine how to best honor Heather or to a GoFundMe that has been set up as a college fund for her boys.