Obituary: Rita Benamy Klee

Rita Benamy Klee, 87, died April 18, 2026. She was the widow of Ronald H. Klee, to whom she was married for 63 years.

Among Mrs. Klee’s many involvements in the Jewish community, she was the founding president of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority at the University of Miami; ran the C.I.T. program for 10 years at Blue Star Camps in Hendersonville, N.C., for the Popkin family; was a member of Ahavath Achim Synagogue for 60 years and a loyal supporter of Congregation Gesher L’Torah; and served on the Board of Trustees for the Atlanta Jewish Community Center for more than 20 years, where she had a significant impact on AJECOMCE and Camp Barney Medintz.

Professionally, she was a math teacher, gymnastics coach, and basketball coach at Lakeside High School. After earning her master’s degree from Georgia State, Mrs. Klee served as a reading specialist at Montclair Elementary before being promoted to vice principal. She was later selected from a pool of 110 candidates for one of only two principal positions in DeKalb County, serving in that role for nine years at Evansdale Elementary until her retirement in 1997.

After the turn of the century, with many tennis trophies and ALTA plates from Twin Lakes in hand, Rita took her talents to the Racquet Club of the South (later Life Time Athletic), where she continued her love of tennis, winning many more city titles and USTA state championships.

In addition to being the loving grandmother of Marissa Klee, Olivia Klee, and Simon Klee, she is survived by her son, Stephen Klee, and his wife, Pam, as well as her sister-in-law, Gloria Benamy. Rita was predeceased by her sons, Marty Klee and Robert Klee, her brother, Freddy Benamy, and her husband, Ronnie Klee.

The funeral was held at 12 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, at Crest Lawn Memorial Park, 2000 Marietta Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.

Contributions may be made to Congregation GLT, the Alzheimer’s Association, or ALZSucks.org, where proceeds will support initiatives important to the Klee family in keeping Rita’s memory alive.

May her memory be a blessing to all who knew her.