[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 75 (Friday, May 27, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E969]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING ANNIE KLEIN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 2011

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Annie Klein was born on May 22, 1921 to Dora 
and Samuel Ratick in Maynard, Massachusetts. Her parents were both 
immigrants of Warsaw, Poland. She was born into a family of three 
sisters and four brothers and her mother still had another daughter, at 
the age of 50.
  The family moved from small town Maynard to The Bronx in New York 
City. Early in her life, Annie lost her father to a heart attack, 
leaving her mother sole survivor and sole responsible parent for her 9 
children.
  Annie was a graduate of Morris High School in 1940. On December 7, 
1941 she got engaged to David Klein, a soldier in the U.S. Army. They 
moved from The Bronx to Hereford, Texas. While there, they had a son, 
Sam, in August 1944. Even though they were offered a ``Hereford Cow'' 
every year while they stayed in Texas by a local rancher, they decided 
instead to move back to the South Bronx with Annie's mom.
  While developing skills that would enable David to get a job, he 
developed health issues. At the age of 41, David had a massive heart 
attack that made him a 100 percent totally disabled veteran.
  With David unable to work and the addition of her younger son, Les, 
Annie had to find a job. She worked for the Social Security Office for 
5 years. After that, she found a job at City College of New York and 
worked as a College Office Assistant.
  In 1968, her son Sammy married Sandy Desio. While tending to her 
husband David and son, Les, she managed to work, as well as help care 
for her mother who had become disabled with Parkinson's disease.
  In 1972, her husband David passed away, leaving Annie to once again 
be the sole caregiver of Les. In 1980, Les married Gail Labita and 
Annie became a mother-in-law once again. Annie finally decided to 
retire in the early 1980s.
  Annie became grandmother to Sammy and Sandy's children, David and 
Dena's as well as great-grandmother to David's son Jake and Dena's 
children Gia, Rocco and Sammi. She is also grandmother to Les and 
Gail's children Douglas and Allison.
  Sadly in her lifetime she had had the misfortune of burying 7 of her 
brothers and sisters who meant the world to her. Above all, in 2007 
Annie received the greatest blow of her life, when her son, Sam passed 
away. Most people would have crumbled and given up but Annie, with her 
customary grace and dignity raised her head high and with the help of 
her family, continued on.
  Annie Klein is a Woman of Valor who has shown us all how to live with 
love and grace even through life's most challenging times. I join with 
her family and friends and thank her for her dignity and courage. As 
said in the Bible: ``Who can find a virtuous woman for her price is far 
above rubies?'' Well, that woman is Annie Klein.

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