Hans Klarer

Hans Klarer, 87, passed away on April 10, 2020 in New York City. Hans was born to Lily Farner and Friedrich Klarer on September 3, 1932 in Zürich, Switzerland. After finishing grade school, Hans spent one year at art school, completed a four-year apprenticeship, and worked for two years as a commercial artist in Zürich. Since military service is compulsory for Swiss men, Hans completed a 17-week basic training course. Hans’ father encouraged him to go abroad to gain independence and develop his career. Hans decided to move to New York City because his dream was to hear live jazz performed by the greatest jazz musicians.

In 1957, Hans traveled from France to New York City on an ocean liner known as the RMS Queen Elizabeth. After dropping his belongings off at the YMCA, he took a cab to a jazz club called Birdland. The entrance fee was just 99 cents. Over the coming years, Hans went to jazz clubs all over Manhattan. He experienced live jazz performed by countless jazz musicians, including Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Stan Getz, Helen Merrill, Horace Silver, Earl Colman, Clark Terry, and Sarah Vaughn.

He met his wife, Elizabeth Anne Klarer, at a ballroom dance class at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in New York City. During their courtship, Anne shared her religious beliefs with Hans and he was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 6, 1965. Hans and Anne were married in Zürich, Switzerland on July 22, 1965, and sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple on September 27, 1966. Early in their marriage, they traveled to France, Italy, Austria, Portugal, and Switzerland. Hans and Anne decided to raise their three girls on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

During his career, Hans worked as a freelance commercial artist. He had a gift for hand lettering, the art of drawing letters by hand. Hans specialized in polishing hand lettering pieces created for advertising purposes. He was involved with designing packaging for Pop Rocks, Life Savers, Pine Bros. Cough Drops, Beech-Nut Gum, and Häagen-Dazs ice cream. Hans spent the majority of his career working for Gaylord Adams and Associates, Inc.

Hans cherished the time he was able to spend with his family members. In addition, he enjoyed watching black and white movies, biking around Manhattan, cheering on the New York Islanders, soaking up the sun on beautiful days, and playing selections from his jazz collection. Hans’ love of jazz was so passionate that he planned monthly “Jazz Nites” in his home so that he could share jazz music and history with his family and friends. Hans lived life to the fullest, always saw good in life, and brought smiles to the faces of most everyone he met.

He is predeceased by his sweet wife, Elizabeth Anne Smith Klarer; his parents, Lily Farner and Friedrich Klarer; his sisters, Hedwig Elisabeth Klarer, Verena Vreni Winkler-Klarer, Annemarie Klarer, and Margrit Klarer. He is survived by his children, Andria Klarer, Shelley Allred (Brian), Kim Cantrell (Sam); grandchildren, Siena Davis (Steven), Samuel Allred, Collin Rawlings, Kaden Rawlings, Benjamin Allred, and William Brunn; and great-grandchild, Margaret Davis.

A virtual memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2020 at 1:30 PM Eastern Time.

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