Sharon Kay Klander

Dr. Sharon Kay Klander entered the heavenly realm on November 7, 2024. Born on January 3, 1956, in Houston, TX, to Fritz and Nora Lee (Griffin) Klander, Sharon spent her childhood in the Heights and Garden Oaks neighborhoods attending Immanuel Lutheran School and Lutheran High School. She developed an early love of reading books and frequented the library eager to learn about the world and other cultures.

As an intelligent and dedicated student, Sharon was awarded many collegiate scholarships enabling her to be the first in her family to graduate with a college degree. Sharon continued to learn and added a Master and a Doctorate degree. While acquiring these degrees she taught Creative Writing, English, Literature, and Women's Studies at the University of Houston, Capital University, and Ohio University. Upon receiving her doctorate degree Sharon returned to Houston to be closer to family and to become a member of the resident faculty in the Department of English at Houston Community College. Sharon instilled in her students an appreciation for the art and use of language. She motivated her students to engage in their community researching facts, referencing multiple sources, and recognizing emotional statements for biases. During her tenure at HCC Sharon founded the Johnny Harris Writers, a student creative writing group. She led the students in collaborative projects blending the arts and language. This collaboration introduced students to other art forms as well as nurturing and developing their creativity, lending them to discover the beauty in the world. Her favorite subjects to teach was creative writing, humanities, and literature, with English as the basis for educating her students in engaging in communication and research.

Sharon was a published poet with her poetry and some accompanied scholarly essays found in over twenty periodicals and anthologies. Photography was another interest Sharon studied and developed successfully, winning some contests. Her family and friends were delighted to receive her work as a gift, and others purchased her work. She valued other art forms eager to study while gaining an appreciation for the creative process.

Sharon was deeply spiritual. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church as a child and reconfirmed in the Episcopal church as an adult. In the year 2000, Sharon became a member of The Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross. Her dearest friend and colleague, Martha Weathers, sponsored her. The Companions founded in 1884, is a group of women committed to prayer, spiritual growth and simplicity of life. Sharon treasured her daily interactions with this group growing and nurturing her faith and forming lasting friendships.

Sharon was a joyous force of life. Her laughter filled the room! Although afflicted with many health issues she did not complain but instead focused on the beauty around, nature, books, art, her beloved pets, and especially time spent with family and friends. Sharon was blessed with a beautiful soprano voice that she devoted to her Lord when singing in the church choir. She joins those who have predeceased her, her father Fritz Klander, her stepfather Alvin Froehlich, her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brother-in-law Calvin Ladner, godchild Jennifer Hardgrove, colleagues and dear friends. Those of us who survive her, her mother Nora Lee Froehlich, sister Sandy (Klander) Ladner, brother Alan Froehlich, nephew Stuart (Dana) Ladner, great-grand nephews Lucas and Pierce Ladner, nieces Caroline (Andrew Luce) Ladner and Ashlee (Froehlich) (Wes) Henderson, aunts, uncles, cousins, godchild Erin Leshikar, and many dear and longstanding, worldwide friends, our memory of Sharon is everlasting and, in our hearts.