It is true that the light we see from stars has traveled a great distance and time. Some of the light we see is from stars that are no longer shining….  

Eddie Klein had many achievements in his career, many powerful positions and accolades. He owned a pharmacy, ran a pharmacy and worked for a large corporation. He was a powerful and successful leader in the Texas Pharmacy Association  as well as many other organizations and groups. He held every office there ever was. But that is not how he is known. Here is Eddie’s Legacy in the words of those whose lives he touched.  

He was really known for his generosity, he was always helping everyone. And when asked why he did this he would always say "I’m just trying to make your day a little better”

He was the TPA Student Liaison before we even had one, he traveled to all the White Coat ceremonies and mentored students in every area of practice. He would take students to other pharmacies and introduce them to everyone he knew. He took his vacations to go to Pharmacy Schools and visit - Mary Klein, Jai Ellis, Bethany Boyd, Chris Dembny.

Tremendously high energy, he was always working and didn’t like sitting around. The Heart of DAPA, he loved his profession, TPA,  DAPA and never missed a State convention. During the conventions it seemed as though he never slept! Always visiting talking, encouraging. He was easily the most recognized Pharmacist in the State of Texas.

His personality was incredibly genuine, he sincerely wanted to help you, never wanted anything in return, his heart was as big as Texas, no one was ever a stranger to Eddie. Amazing thoughtfulness and giving nature. He wrote Thank you notes all the time for everyone.  Giving even when he had little to give.

A true Pharmacist, during door to door campaigning for Chuck Hopson he was confronted by a frightening looking man who was carrying a gun. Eddie went right on in and counseled the man about his meds for 30 minutes!

from Mary Klein - As a P1, I was involved in starting our NCPA chapter at Tech, and was also a TPA director. I spent the better part of that year really confused on conference calls with other TPA student leaders because I really knew nothing about what TPA was about, and quite honestly, was ready to quit. At the end of the year, I attended the NCPA legislative meeting in Washington DC, and during the first day, I was asked at least five times if was "Eddie's daughter."  I had no idea who this Eddie person they were talking about was, but as I left the opening reception, I ran into a man who saw the Double T on my name tag, and asked if I was a student. He introduced himself as Eddie Klein, and a light bulb went off in my head -- I had to laugh. I told him my name, and it turns out that he had been asked multiple times in the day if his daughter was there at the convention. So, for the rest of the convention, I called him Dad and he called me daughter -- something that stuck for the entire time that I knew him. At that convention, I found out he was the President-Elect of TPA (see, told you I knew nothing about TPA at the time!), and we talked a lot about the fact that the students were just clueless about what TPA is about. I told him that I wasn't going to be a director the following year, and he practically begged me to stay on. I guess Eddie saw a leader in me when I didn't really see it in myself.

During the following two years, Eddie made a point to visit every school each year to talk about TPA, he made sure that TPA paid for food for at least one chapter meeting each year, and he really helped to motivate our student leaders to start some of the programs that are now the student events at TPA annual meeting. I couldn't tell you how many late night email and phone conversations I had with him as a student -- he was always looking for a way to get more students involved.

When I graduated, Eddie decided I needed to move up in leadership in TPA. He pushed me to run for Speaker of the House, and then he put my name on the ballot the first time for Director at Large (he was chair of the nominating committee).  Literally, he called and said "I know you are the current Speaker-Elect and didn't want to be nominated for something else, but you need name recognition, so I got you on the ballot for Director at Large. He was my cheerleader in every position I ran for, and I must say that I miss my "Pharmacy Dad" terribly.  I think the reason why I continue to be passionate about students is in part because he was.    

Eddie, you are  a True Texas Pharmacy Star…and your light will shine on for a very long time. Thank you to Louis Rumsey, Chuck Hopson, Mary Klein, Bethany Boyd, May Woo and all who shared their stories of Eddie and carry on his Legacy.