After a hard, brave battle against cancer, Harold passed away peacefully with his family by his side. Harold was born August 19, 1950 in the old New Braunfels Hospital to Monroe Paul and Vivian (Krause) Klaerner.
He graduated from New Braunfels High School in 1969 and then joined the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam conflict to serve his country.
He had a lifelong love for agriculture starting with sheep and ending with sheep. Over the years, he farmed and ranched on the smaller basis, having random outside employment to help support his agricultural ventures. His later full-time employment was with New Braunfels Smoker, well known barbecue pit manufacturer.
While with “The Smoker Company” as he called it, he received employee of the year and he and his family were flown to Columbus, Georgia to receive the award at a company wide awards program for the W.C. Bradley Co., owners of the company. After the smoker company was moved from New Braunfels, he continued to work in the sheet metal industry until his retirement in 2015.
In agriculture, he loved raising cattle, goats, and sheep, ending with only sheep. He never tired of adding to his knowledge of sheep, constantly reading the Livestock Weekly out of San Angelo, The Shepard magazine and checking out the vast amount of information on the internet. He always had time to “tell what he knew” on the subject to anyone who might call or ask in person.
At last, he started raising Dorper Sheep, because he said that they were “old people sheep” due to their docile attitude. Dorper were the predominant breed, but he was never afraid to crossbreed with other breeds to improve what he already had on the farm.
In addition to agriculture, he loved to go camping and fishing with his family and especially his grandchildren.
Harold was preceded in death by his parents, his mother-in-law, Adelena Klaehn and a brother-in-law, Ronnie Klaehn.
Harold is survived by his loving wife of 47 years and best friend of nearly 50 years, “Duddy” Felicia (Klaehn), daughters- Jennifer (Jonathan Jr.) Ulrich, Heidi (Joey) Wrinkle, Amanda (Shawn) Peterson, and son- Hoyt (girlfriend- AnnaLisa Emens); grandchildren- Cadence Klaerner, Trent and Brandt Ulrich; Tatum Ensor, MaverickRae, Rhys, and Elora Wrinkle; Justin, Emmalee, and Kaylee Peterson; LeliAnna and Ginevieve Emens; his brother Monroe Klaerner; father-in-law, Hilmar Klaehn, and brother-in-law, Gary (Gretel) Klaehn.
There will be a “Celebration of Harold’s Life” on February 26, 2023 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at St. John’s Lutheran Church in the Fellowship Hall in Marion, TX. In lieu of flowers, Harold’s request was that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, because he felt no child should be subjected to this disease.
