Eugene Gordon "Geno" Klein

Born in Bridgeville, PA, on July 8, 1952, Eugene Gordon "Geno" Klein, died at home holding his wife’s hand, in Hudson, OH, on Monday, July 24, 2023. He was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme in February 2021. Geno was predeceased by his beloved parents and sister, William G. and Lillian J. Klein, and Karen Klein Tarr.

Geno is survived by his best friend and much-loved wife, Anne Phipps Klein, and her sons, Kyle and James Mau; son, Geoffrey Klein; brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Beth Klein; aunt, Caroline Todaro; nieces, Courtney Klein and Kayla Irwin (Mark), and their sons Lucas and Beckham; several cousins, and their extended families. He is also mourned by his Phipps family in-laws: Steve and Trish Phipps; Bunny and Dave Huller; Nancy and Walt Lewis, and their families. 

A large circle of supportive friends and neighbors in Hudson and Pittsburgh offered unending kindness throughout his brain cancer journey, for which we are immensely grateful. "Coach Klein" is also dearly missed by a global collection of high school, college, community, and professional soccer players and students, spanning a five-decade playing, teaching, and coaching career. His mantra was "You'll Never Walk Alone," and surrounded by so many family and friends, he never did.

Geno began his lifelong passion for soccer while playing for Beadling SC in his early years. He was a proud Chartiers Valley HS and University of Pittsburgh alumnus. At Pitt, he played football first, then soccer, then went on to his first coaching job at Carnegie Mellon. 

Geno taught World and AP European History and was the foundation of the boys’ soccer program at Quaker Valley High School, in Leetsdale, PA for three decades. He also served as Assistant Athletic Director prior to retiring. Geno was a legend: He had an incredible 507-139-39 career record coaching at QV. His teams won seven WPIAL titles, and a record six state titles, including the nationally ranked #1 team of 1996, when he was also named the NSCAA National Coach of the Year. 

So much more than an educator and coach, Geno was above all a mentor and inspiration to his students, players, and colleagues. As one of his former players said, “His drive and passion for improving us as young men, which in turn led to success on the field, was what made him special.”

Geno was part of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC coaching team from their beginning in 1999, and remained involved in various capacities across the years, including as General Manager and Broadcaster.

Among the many accolades he received, Geno was inducted into six Halls of Fame: QVHS Sports HoF; Pittsburgh Riverhounds HoF; Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League HoF; Western Pennsylvania Chapter Sports HoF; Pennsylvania West Youth HoF; Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association HoF. 

One of his proudest accomplishments was in serving youth soccer and the future of the sport through his extensive scouting work for the youth national teams of the United States Soccer Federation.  

The Klein family is enormously grateful to Dr. Jan Drappatz and his team at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center for including Geno in their clinical trial. Their support and care offered Geno much more than what turned out to be life-extending treatments. The staff provided us all with comfort, compassion, and perhaps most important of all, gave Geno the sense that through his participation in the study, he could be helping future brain cancer patients. 

Friends and family will be received from 3-7 p.m. on Sunday, July 30th and 3-6 p.m. on Monday, July 31st at THE RICHARD D. COLE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 328 Beaver St., Sewickley, PA 15143. Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 1st, in Sewickley United Methodist Church, 337 Broad St., Sewickley, PA 15143. If you plan on attending the service, please meet at the church. A livestream of Geno’s service will be available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@sewickleyumc/streams Interment will follow service in Sewickley Cemetery. The family will invite attendees to join them for a celebration of the life of the legendary Geno Klein after services conclude.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the "Brain and Nervous System Cancer Clinical Trials Program" at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center: https://hillman.upmc.com/difference/supporting/make-a-gift/how-to-donate

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