| William “Roland” Klein passed away on June 20, 2026 at the age of 88. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frieda and William (Willie) Klein. Roland is survived by his brother Gerald (Gloria) Klein, niece Michelle (Dave) Clenin, nephew Brian (Sandy) Klein, three great nieces – Taylor Clenin, Maggie Klein, and Katie Klein – great nephew Joshua (Olivia) Clenin, great great niece “Emmy”, and many friends. Roland was a Parkway West High School history teacher for 30+ years. He was known by his students as “Mister B+”. Roland loved to travel and spent many of his summers traveling the USA and visiting many countries.A visitation will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust St., St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 1 pm, followed by a memorial service and internment of his ashes at the church at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to Christ Church Cathedral would be greatly appreciated. Kutis South County Service. |
One of the great teachers of all time. I was in his first class back in 1962 (English/History) and remained friends with him for decades. Few teachers leave a more lasting impression on their students than Roland. A great teacher, a great guy, a good friend. Sorely missed.
My favorite teacher, bar none. His enthusiasm for teaching history is responsible for my becoming a History major. None of my college professors were his equal.
I don’t know a student who didn’t adore him. I certainly did.
Rest easy, Mr Klein. You’ve earned it.
I was quite saddened to learn of his passing, he was one of my very early educational mentors. He incentivized me to pursue history as a discipline in life. Mr. Klein was a true leader and artist at his craft. Perhaps others will emulate his outstanding Socratic teaching style, although unlikely it will ever be surpassed. You have left an enduring and most honorable legacy , Mr. Klein. 👓 📖
Mr. Klein not only gave me an appreciation of history, but also an appreciation of art. He awakened a love of the world in all of his students. And those weekly news week, magazine test, especially during the era of Watergate, instilled in me a need to understand what was happening in the world around me. He taught us both past and present are important to understand the world. Both my brother and I considered Mr. Klein one of the best teachers we ever had. Rest in peace sir. PWHS ‘76
I taught German at Parkway West during the 1970’s. I loved having Roland Klein as a colleague. We spoke German with each other as time permitted and enjoyed talking about our respective trips to Europe.
It was my good fortune to have Mr. Klein as my 9th grade Civics teacher at Parkway Central Junior High in 1962-63, which I think was his first year in the district. He was one of the best teachers I ever had, in high school or college. He challenged us all to be better than we thought we could be. I still clearly remember some of his classes and the concepts he taught. And he had a great laugh – I can still hear it! I can’t think of another teacher whose laugh I can remember. He simply loved what he did. What a gift he was to his students.
Roland gave me a lifetime gift of appreciating coherent writing – he was a master at engaging and challenging all of us. His appreciation of art – particularly cathedrals – was a revelation. It became apparent over the years how lucky we all were to have him as a teacher, especially at the high school level. Parkway West had quite a faculty and he was one of the best.
Whenever the question of best or favorite teacher has come up over the years, I’ve never had to think twice before answering Roland Klein. I had him for English/history in 8th grade & was in his class taking a test when President Kennedy was shot. There couldn’t have been a better place to be for us to feel safe in the knowledge that our government would carry on. He taught us everything from the political spectrum to American musicals, & predicted Barbra Streisand would be a star before anyone had heard of her. He took a personal interest not only in his students but in their interests, once bringing back from a trip to Chicago a book for me that pertained to my research paper topic. During my 9th grade year he taught in Germany, & we corresponded. I still have those letters & post cards. I was fortunate enough to have him a second time for history during my junior year. I know I’m not alone when I say I’ve carried so much of what I learned from him throughout my entire life.
I have consistently over the years cited Rolly Klein as the best teacher I ever had. He was uncompromising and direct, happy to give praise but also dutiful in delivering unpleasant notice of failure to meet standards or expectations….but never mean or cruel in doing so, always straightforward and honest.
He did more to prep me for college than any other teacher (Lane Page, you are a close second). He was all about critical thinking, looking for alternatives to analysis, staying open to revision, and organization of thought leading to coherent presentation on the page.
And he was fun to have in class, fun to listen to, fun to learn from–you never knew what you were going to get when it was time for AP History.
Thank you, Roland Klein. You were the best teacher I ever had.
Roland Klein was easily one of the best teachers I ever had. Clearly taught you to think critically, examine many sides of an issue, articulate your own conclusions and rely on primary sources regarding historical events. One did not come unprepared to his class. A master teacher. Unparalleled. Few have such impact on so many. My brother, my husband and I all were fortunate to experience western civ and American history with Mr. Klein. He was a teacher without equal.
Roland was a teacher in the best sense of the word. Engaged in history, current events and travel; and the best combination of high standards and support for his students. He taught us to think, to write, and to look over the horizon. He and Polly Kennedy set the academic standards and (aside from football) showed why “West is Best” was not just an empty chant for early Parkway West.
I am sorry to have missed the opportunity to express my gratitude directly to Mr. Klein. It is only now that my career is winding down that I am thinking about those who shaped my life as a student and as a person. Mr. Klein was an incredible educator whose methods were rooted in a Socratic method as well as a style that was ahead of its time. He was simply wonderful in every way, never compromising his delivery. Mr. Klein was, as well, as supportive as he was demanding. I will always remember him fondly. Mr. Klein was a rare bird in the best way, and we were all immensely fortunate to have had him in our lives. I hope that my message, while too late for me to speak directly to Mr. Klein, will be received by his family as deeply heartfelt.
I was out of the country when informed of Roland’s passing and out of town for his memorial service. Upon returning, I read all the wonderful comments about his tenure at West High School. He was,, indeed, a master teacher:: learned, passionate, demanding, engaging, and devoted to helping his students grow and develop. When I was appointed Principal of West High in the spring of 1987, I made it a point to learn about a school culture that made teaching and learning its central focus and excellence in the classrooms and co;-curricula venues a daily job,
I spoke to highly acclaimed teachers throughout the summer for insights as I prepared for my first year. Roland was on the list; I could tell immediately why he was held in such high esteem.
All those attributes listed above and in this registry were apparent. That was the first of many wonderful discussions we had about teaching and excellence. At the end of our summer visit, Roland wished me luck and stated emphatically: “Remember…teachers would rather be inspired than told.”
That expression resonated with me throughout my career. My interpretation; If a virtue, attribute, or principle is important….if a job, objective, or mission is worthy of effort, then take the time to relate this in a way that is memorable.. Find a compelling quotation, an anecdote, a parable, or an experience to underscore your message. This I attempted to do. I now know that Roland inspired me as he did thousands of students.
Roland Klein was a legendary teacher. His legacy is now part of West High School’s “choir invisible.”