Art Klein, a writer and small business owner, died at his home in Acra, NY on Sunday, June 10th from lung cancer. He was 77 years old. Art was born to Louis and Miriam Klein on August 2, 1940. He grew up in Harrison, NY alongside his two sisters, Honie Ann and Toby Jo.
For much of the 60s and 70s, Art had a diverse career as a writer and marketing executive for organizations such as IBM, J. Walter Thompson, Scholastic, and The New York Times. He wrote humor essays for publications including Bill Buckley’s National Review and Al Goldstein’s Screw.
In 1982, Art moved to East Hampton, NY with his wife at the time, where they raised their two children, Zoë and Isaac. In 1996, Art founded the non-profit, Good Fathers are Good Men, which strove to give a stronger voice to fathers. Approximately half a million “Good Fathers are Good Men” bumper stickers were distributed without charge, and some can still be seen riding around East Hampton.
In 1992 Art fell in love with visual artist Pat Feinman, whom he married in 1997. From 1998 to 2015 they ran Functional Sculpture, a tile and kitchen cabinet business on Main Street in Catskill, NY. Their business was pivotal in turning Catskill around to become a successful renaissance village. In 2014 they founded their online business, The Younger Looking Beard.
Art was a great lover of humor. At the age of 60, he tried his hand at standup comedy and won the Insult Comedy Olympics at Carolines on Broadway. Art had a passion for learning, and he never stopped. In 2004, after a life as a Jewish atheist, he became fascinated with Jesus and Christian theology. In 2008 he received his Master of Ministry from American Mission Teams. He wrote the books Dad and Son, Proof That Jesus is God, Spinning Jesus, and Chronic Pain: The Complete Guide to Relief. He co-wrote a series of books about arthritis and back pain relief, including Backache: The Complete Guide to Relief, which was a Book of the Month Club selection. At the time of his death, he was writing two books, one about the “violent side” of Jesus, and one about Anti-Semitism.
Art is survived by his wife Pat, his sister Honie Ann, his children Isaac and Zoë, his stepsons Luke and David, David’s son Eli, and numerous friends and family. Art left behind a legacy of love and he will be deeply missed. A memorial service will be held at Bates & Anderson – Redmond & Keeler Funeral Home in Hudson, NY on Saturday, June 16th at 1:30pm. Family will receive friends thirty minutes prior to the memorial service. Those who remember him fondly and wish to honor him are encouraged to make a gift to his favorite charity, Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Join the family! 
