Richard Allan Klauber

1945 - 2018

Richard Allan Klauber

Richard Allan Klauber, age 73, died unexpectedly in a boating accident at Westport, WA on August 24, 2018.

Rick was born on April 8, 1945, the fourth child of Jean Roberts Klauber and Allan Klauber in San Diego, CA. He grew up in the Irving Gill Klauber family home near San Diego's Balboa Park. He graduated from Frances Parker School, San Diego High School (1963), and Pomona College (1967). After college graduation he joined the Navy and was sent to Officers' Candidate School in Newport, RI. Commissioned as an ensign, he married his college sweetheart, Sandra Lynn Wice, and completed Naval Supply School in Athens, GA. He served as the Supply Corps officer aboard the oiler, USS Manatee, and deployed twice to the waters off Vietnam during Rick's active duty commitment. Released from active duty, Rick moved to Seattle and earned an MBA from University of Washington (1972). Rick became a Chartered Financial Analyst and used his business and investment skills at Safeco Asset Management, Seattle Trust, and a brief stint at DomSea Farms, one of the earliest companies in the salmon farming industry. Rick also continued his Naval service as a Reserve officer until he retired as a Captain.

Rick's interests diverted from finance and investment advising to self-employment. In the early 1990s, Rick, with assistance from his brother-in-law, built himself a house. Rick gained construction skills and knowledge from the experience and the transition from desk job to handyman/creator / artist was launched. Rick built a maintenance, repair, and remodel business in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood. He helped many of his retired and/or widowed neighbors with their house projects. Self-employment allowed Rick to have a more flexible schedule to pursue his lifelong love of fishing and woodworking. Numerous trips to Alaska, Hawaii, and Westport kept his freezer full. Over 30 years, he perfected his salmon smoking recipe and technique. The finished product was highly anticipated at all social and family gatherings. He was even reputed to have used his smoked salmon as a means of barter. Rick's children and grandchildren were the beneficiaries of his passion for woodworking. Rick would revitalize all forms of furniture and build tables, desks and benches. The grandchildren received dollhouses, hutches and a rocking horse (killer whale) as gifts from their artistic "Grams".

In retirement, Rick used his undergrad anthropology major and volunteered to clean and organize fossils at the Burke Museum. He also continued to pursue his creative and artistic outlets. Surrounded by Asian art forms as a child, Rick's study and developing passion for Suiseki came as no surprise. This Japanese art form, which entails the "study and enjoyment of naturally formed stones as objects of beauty" filled Rick's final years.

Rick had a keen eye for selecting appropriate stones. His wood-working experience aided in his construction of the appropriate dais (support platforms) for artistically displaying his stones. His first art sales were for the dais ordered by his fellow Suiseki aficionados. His inspired preparation and mounting of unaltered stones was what truly created the object d'art and beauty for others to see.

Rick moved to Camano Island and joined their vibrant art community. In addition to selling his work, his vision was to educate the public and his fellow artists about the beauty of "viewing stone art" and Suiseki. At the time of his death, Rick had gained recognition and acceptance into numerous art shows and galleries. https://www.zhibit.org/rklauberstones

Rick carried many titles: MBA, CFA, Captain, USNR, investment advisor and residential building contractor, but it was "artist and fisherman" that brought him the most satisfaction.

Rick is survived by his brother Melville (Sylvia) and sister Laura; his sons Mark (Alma) and Scott (Hillary); ex-wife and close friend Sandra and longtime friend Brigid. He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews and five granddaughters who will miss their annual Christmas cookie making tradition.

For more information on Rick's memorial gathering,

please e-mail

rickklaubermemorial@gmail.com