Ed Klein - publisher, entrepreneur and curmudgeon - dies at 86

WARWICK - Ed Klein, one of our most admired citizens, passed away following a heart attack on Saturday, Oct. 18, at his home in Warwick. He was 86 years old. Klein, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He participated in heavy fighting in numerous beach landings during the allied invasions of North Africa and Italy followed by a long march through southern France and into Germany. The details of these harrowing war-time experiences during his three years of military service are well described in his entertaining 1996 autobiography, “At Least No-One is Shooting at Me.” The title of the book refers to his attitude about the ups and downs of his civilian life. Klein dedicated his autobiography to those who gave their lives in the war and made the rest of his life possible. After the war, Klein fulfilled a boyhood dream when he and his brother Robert ran a chain of newspapers in Oakhurst, N.J. Then, in 1962, Klein and his wife, Phyllis, were looking to purchase a weekly newspaper that would be within their price range and not far from their home in New Jersey. That search and a “newspaper for sale” advertisement brought them to Warwick. They fell in love with the area and purchased The Warwick Advertiser. He would sell the newspaper to the Straus family in 1986. ‘Serial entrepreneur’ “Ed Klein was a ‘serial entrepreneur’ before there was such a thing,” Jeanne Straus, president of Straus News, which includes nine weekly newspapers in Orange County, northern New Jersey and Pike County, Pennsylvania. “He had great enthusiasm for the local news business and we miss both his vision and his gentle criticism.” But besides publishing a paper, Klein was also a passionate entrepreneur. In 1969 he began broadcasting from his newly licensed Warwick radio station, WTBQ. Three years later, he founded the Warwick Cable Company, forerunner of TKR and the current cable service provider, Cablevision. After the Warwick Cable Company was purchased by Westinghouse Broadcasting, Klein became editor and publisher for The Group W News and later added Warner Cable to his corporate newspaper publications. In 1986, Klein founded the Hudson Valley Business Journal, which he published until it was sold in 2000. During that time he also added publications including Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journals to his company. Even after “retirement” from those papers, he remained actively involved in publishing. Klein was a featured columnist for both the Senior Gazette and The Hudson Valley Business Journal. He also created The Patriot, a newsletter for his beloved veterans of the Third Infantry Division. Klein continued writing until his death. ‘Quite a guy’ A family statement reads: “His passion for people, animals, his community and the country were obvious to everyone who knew him. He loved his family and friends and business associates who contributed so much to his life. He thoroughly enjoyed Broadway Shows, jazz, Big Band and Dixieland with this music providing the sound track for his life. His impact on the people of Warwick and the entire area will never be forgotten.” Klein received many awards and honors including “Man of the Year,” for his many contributions. And there was hardly a community event or parade that was not graced by his presence. “We spoke to each other almost every day,” recalled his longtime friend and WTBQ early radio co-host Dick Wells. “He was not only bright and interesting but he was full of fun. I’ll miss him dearly.” Stan Martin, the former editor of The Warwick Advertiser, added these thoughts: “Ed and Phyllis invited me to his house the first weekend I was in Warwick. I read his autobiography and a draft of his novel on newspaper empires, heard him speak to veterans about his combat days. My daughter Torilyn had interviewed Ed for a graduate class on entrepreneurs while she was at Syracuse. He used to call me at the office and give me a critique of recent issues. “Yes, quite a guy,” Martin added. “I’ll miss the old curmudgeon.” Ed Klein’s obituary appears on page 30.