Jarel Emanuel Kledis

ALEXANDER - Jarel Emanuel Kledis, age 75, of Alexander, passed away on Monday afternoon, March 31, 2025. The family will greet family and friends 2:00pm – 4:00 pm on Friday, April 4, 2025 at West Funeral Home. A Sharing of Memories will begin at 3:00 pm.

Jarel was a gifted visual artist, a visionary thinker and an experienced multi-faceted tradesman. During his time on this earth, he served others as a son, a brother, a father, a husband, a grandfather, a friend, a teacher, and a healer. He loved sharing stories and wisdom with his family and friends.

He was born July 28, 1949 in Cherokee, IA to John and Lucille (Johnson) Kledis. Jarel’s childhood was spent in an idyllic small town which he often compared to Mayberry in the old Andy Griffith TV Show. (one of his favorite TV shows) He graduated from Washington High School in Cherokee and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from Northwest Missouri State University, and a Master of Art in Painting from Fort Hayes Kansas State University.

Jarel’s teaching career encompassed teaching students ranging from elementary to college level, including serving as an art instructor at Warrensburg Junior High, teaching Art History and Art Survey courses at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, IA and Fort Dodge, IA and as Head of the Art Department at Westmar College in Le Mars, IA.

The heart of his life’s work was in creating art in multiple mediums including ceramics, sculpture and painting. His primary focus was large format outdoor sculptures, a few of which can be seen in both private collections and public display in the Midwest and Southeast including “Eclipse” (1992) on the campus of Western Carolina University.

Jarel was also skilled in many building trades including carpentry, masonry, painting and welding, and worked in these trades in Iowa, Colorado and North Carolina.

After a short time in Colorado, Jarel landed in Western North Carolina in 1983, and has called WNC ever since. He had the opportunity to see and appreciate much of this area’s beauty while working for a local surveying company for close to 20 years.

Jarel loved God, nature and fine art, but above all he loved his family. For him life was not just physical but was a spiritual journey.

He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Linda (Porpora) Lafferty, son Kyle (Erica) Kledis of Barnardsville, NC, daughter Candace (Erik) Gier of Chandler, AZ, his eight siblings: Jonille Darbyshire of Frankfort, KY, John (Joie) Kledis of Asheville, NC, Janelyn Johnson of Sioux City, IA, Jerene Clement of Mankato, MN; James (Joanne) Kledis of St. Cloud, FL, Jeffrey Kledis of Colorado Springs, CO; Javonne Kledis of Phoenix, AZ; Jazelle Garcon of Boca Raton, FL and grandchildren Freya MacFarlane (Ryan) of Phoenix, AZ, Fiona, Francesca and Faerynn Gier of Chandler, AZ and Jackson and Sunraya Kledis of Barnardsville, NC.

West Family Funeral Services is honored to be serving the Kledis family. Condolences may be offered under his obituary at www.westfamilyfuneralservices.com.