LBJ and Three Kleins with OLLI at TTU, Fredericksburg

By Alice Boyd, OLLI at TTU, Fredericksburg Coordinator

The members in Fredericksburg were treated to a lively discussion by three of Lawrence Klein's sons in a presentation titled "LBJ and Three Kleins." Lawrence Klein was known as the "fix-it" man on the LBJ Ranch in charge of all maintenance. If something wasn't working, the Johnson family would call Klein to repair it – the tool shed at the ranch is named in honor of him.

LBJ hired Klein in the 1950s, having seen him work on many of the projects that expanded Johnson's Summer White House. Klein held that position well into the 1970s. At LBJ's request, Klein kept a journal of his daily activities. These writings are a complete documentation of history and life at the ranch from the time LBJ was in the Senate, as majority leader, vice president, President and into his brief retirement.

Klein had six sons who helped him at different times in maintaining the various buildings and equipment around the ranch. Of the three brothers that spoke, John and Stan are now architects and Tony is a banker. All now live and work in Fredericksburg.

The brothers' frank and humorous recollections of interacting with LBJ gave a very personal view of what it was like to be around the 36th president. Mostly the boys were in charge of painting, not only on the ranch in Stonewall but on several of Johnson's properties. They also moved irrigation pipes and other chores needed to maintain the equipment at the ranch. When Johnson was at the ranch, he would check in with them in the morning to give them assignments and would return in the afternoon to see what they had accomplished. It was a given that the answer to any request LBJ made would be "Yes, Mr. President."

Through their many recollections of their father, their home life in Stonewall, and their interactions with the family that continues to this day, members were treated to a living historical account of the personality of the man that created the vision for the "Great Society" programs and advanced civil rights.