Together with her husband Lew, Janet Klein touched the lives of many Temple students through her philanthropy. Since 2019, she had served on the Klein College Board of Visitors.

Janet Klein, a dear friend of Temple University and wife of the late Lew Klein, the namesake of the Klein College of Media and Communication, passed away Aug. 4. She was 96. 

A devoted philanthropist and historic preservationist, Klein and her husband touched the lives of many Temple students through their giving and support of the university. Since 2019, Janet Klein had served on the Klein College Board of Visitors, but her connection to Temple goes back much further. 

Her husband, Lew Klein, was a pioneer of television and had been an adjunct professor at Temple since 1952. He was the creator of the college’s annual scholarship fundraising and hall of fame event, the Lew Klein Alumni in the Media and Excellence in the Media Awards. His passion for the university and the success of its students was shared equally by Janet Klein. 

“Because of Janet’s and Lew’s incredible generosity, generations of Temple students have had the opportunity to study abroad, pursue internships and take part in groundbreaking research,” Temple President John Fry said. “While Janet may no longer be with us, her legacy lives on, and that is evident across our campus, as the Klein name is embedded into so many key parts of our institution. Beyond her deep commitment to the Temple community, I will remember her genuine warmth and kindness, which were two of Janet’s strongest traits. She will be deeply missed.” 

Janet Klein’s consistent support of students can be seen through the Janet and Lew Klein Student Media Scholarship Fund, a scholarship that she created alongside her husband. It supports high-achieving rising seniors who are enrolled in Klein College, have demonstrated financial need and are finishing preparations to launch their career. In addition, Janet and Lew established the H. Lewis and Janet S. Klein Broadcast and Civic History Fund at the Charles Libraries to support preservation, processing and future additions to the broadcast collections and civic history.   

The impact of the Kleins can also be seen through Lew Klein Hall, which serves as the main foyer space of the Temple Performing Arts Center. Klein Recital Hall is also a multiuse space in Presser Hall, primarily used for recitals, seminars, workshops and rehearsals across all disciplines. 

Together, the Kleins also created the Janet and Lew Klein “Making A Difference” Award for the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters. Klein College Dean David Boardman was the 2022 recipient of that award.  

Janet Klein was a staple at Klein College graduations, closing the event with inspirational remarks and leading students through the tassel-turning that marked their progression from students to alumni. 

“Janet had a profound impact on Temple University, on the Klein College, on our students, and on me personally,” said Boardman. “She was truly one of the finest, kindest humans I’ve had the privilege to know and love.” 

Klein College has been working on plans to honor Janet with a garden/sanctuary area of the new Caroline Kimmel Pavilion for Arts and Communication, which will open in fall 2027.  

Up until her passing, Janet Klein was also a member of the Temple University Ambler Campus Board of Visitors. Both she and her husband supported Ambler through scholarships and annual fundraising events. 

“Janet’s connection to Temple Ambler was deeply personal,” said Vicki Lewis McGarvey, vice provost for University College and the director of the Ambler Campus. “You could find her having lunch in the teahouses in the Formal Gardens, catching up with staff and students, and she would return year after year to admire the work of our horticulture students at the Philadelphia Flower Show. She always kept in touch with students long after they left Temple and was always making new connections. She was truly a wonderful person and friend to Temple.” 

Beyond Temple, Janet Klein also volunteered her time with a number of other organizations. She served on the Union League of Philadelphia’s Collections Committee and was chair of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for eight years.  

A native of Philadelphia, Klein always had a passion for preserving local history. She is credited with the creation of the Liberty Trail, spearheading the restoration of Terracina, the first historic home in the Lukens National Historic District of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and advising and assisting 18 historic house museums in the five counties of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Camden County. 

Her work with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission was particularly groundbreaking, as she launched an initiative to have historical plaques placed around the state. 

Additionally, Klein spent years volunteering on the Advisory Council of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as an advisor to Preservation Pennsylvania, and in various capacities with the American Philosophical Society Friends Committee, Woodlands Mansion and Cemetery, Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, Museum Council of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, and the United States Third Circuit Court.