Erhard Klar

Dr. Erhard Klar of Raleigh NC passed away on October 31, 2021 aged 89. He was preceded in death by his wife Almut in 1972, his son Oliver in 2006, and his daughter Stef Slaton earlier in 2021. Pop/Grandpa, as he was affectionately known by his family, is survived by his son-in-law Steve Slaton of Raleigh, and Steve and Stef's 6 children: Mike, Art, Emmy, Ty, and Bo all in Raleigh, and Jenna in Wilmington NC. He is also mourned by other relatives and friends in Germany. Erhard was born on June 8, 1932 in southwestern Germany, and grew up in Tübingen where he attended university. He then received a PhD in Chemistry from the Technical University of Berlin, during which studies he met his future wife Almut Ihssen. After receiving his PhD in 1962, Erhard and Almut were married, and then moved to the United States so he could pursue post-doctoral research at the University of Pittsburgh. After joining Glidden, he continued working for the same company for 35 years, although the name changed multiple times as the division was sold. He spent his career as a research director in powder metallurgy, and traveled around the world for work as well as personally. After a brief stint in Hammond, Indiana (a suburb of Chicago), they moved to Baltimore, Maryland and stayed many years. Then the company moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he stayed again for several years. In 1991, the company moved to Raleigh, where he stayed ever since. Almut died when the children were very young, so "Pop" raised Stef and Oliver as a single dad, taking them on many trips to Germany and other places, camping at the beach in the summer, and skiing in the winter. Erhard continued skiing into his 80s, and also enjoyed walking, swimming, playing piano and organ, listening to classical music, reading, travel, buying gifts for the grandchildren at yard sales, and creating arts and crafts including metal sculptures and ceramics. Visitation will be at Bryan Lee Funeral Home, 831 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh on Wednesday, November 17, from 6:00 to 8:00pm. Burial will be at the Soapstone United Methodist Church cemetery in north Raleigh on Thursday, November 18, at 1:00pm, with a memorial service following at 2:00 at the main sanctuary of Soapstone United Methodist Church, where he was a member for the past 30 years. A service of Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Raleigh.