The Iona College Athletics Department and the entire Iona College Community will honor John Klauer, a long time Iona College employee and supporter on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at our men's basketball contest against Norfolk State.  The game is slated to tip off at 2:00pm at the Hynes Athletics Center.  This celebratory day will include a pregame honoring of John along with a postgame reception in gratitude of John and his commitment to Iona College Athletics.

If you are interested in attending on Saturday, November 21 in support and honor of John Klauer please contact Assistant Athletic Director for Development William Montanaro at 914-633-2071 or wmontanaro@iona.edu.

Below we are proud and privileged to include a brief biography on John.  In addition attached to this article we've included a short photo album in honor of John Klauer.

Go Gaels!

Johnathan Brett Klauer was born August 20, 1945 in New York Hospital. He was the only child born to June and Kilian Klauer. John spent his early, formative years in the Klauer family home in Mt. Vernon, where they lived until John was 12 years of age. In Mt. Vernon, John began his education at Ms. Wetter's elementary school, which he attended from age 7-12.

John's family moved to Pelham Manor in 1957 when John was 12 years old. His father was Vice President of the bank that is currently JP Morgan Chase Bank. John continued his education at Pelham Junior and Senior High Schools, graduating in 1964. Living in Pelham, the Pelham Country Club became a second home to John. He was involved in many facets of the club. Because of his dignified presence, many club members thought John was a staff member at the club. John wrote articles about Pelham Country Club sports that appeared in The Pelham Sun. While a member of the Pelham Country Club, John developed a passion for bowling. He spent wonderful time bowling with his father at Pelham Country Club, along with participating on the Pelham Country Club bowling team for 25 years. John was also very involved in his church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where he became an usher and served many years gracefully.

John entered the next phase of his educational life at Concordia College in Bronxville. He earned an Associate's Degree in 1968 with a Liberal Arts Major.

With the majority of his education finished, John arrived at the institution which shaped the rest of his life. He received a scholarship to attend Iona College, where he commenced his studies in 1968. In 1973, John received a Bachelor of Arts Degree as an English major. These years were the most enjoyable years for John as a student, so he thought he might stick around for a while. Ladies and gentlemen, that is why we are here today.

John began his illustrious career as a tape editor for the Iona radio station in 1973, working alongside Doug Cooper and George O'Brien. He worked in this capacity for one year before becoming an Administrative Assistant to Peter Maneri in 1974. After demonstrating his superior skills as Administrative Assistant for five years, John moved to the Athletic Department. He was hired by Athletic Director and head basketball coach Jim Valvano to perform clerical work in 1979. Later that year, he was transferred to the equipment room, where he remained until his retirement in 2008.

John mentored many people throughout his time at Iona. In 1980, under the specific request of Jeanne Blaney Kennedy, John became formally charged with looking after Pat Kennedy. That seemed to work out very well. John would like to thank everyone he has come in contact with at Iona. He would like to personally mention these individuals, but at the risk of leaving anyone out, he will simply express his deep gratitude toward the entire Iona community.

John has had many wonderful experiences in his life. Ever since he was a young boy, John was a major country music fan. His favorite musical artist was Johnny Cash. The most memorable experience of his life was the day he met Johnny and June Carter Cash in 1988 at the Westchester County Center. Another unforgettable experience was when John flew alone to meet Michael Landon of his favorite television show, Little House on the Prairie, in 1979. John spent a wonderful two weeks in Hollywood.

John has developed many other interests over the years. He is a lifelong New York Yankees fan. He is also a Knicks fan, even though he claims they have lost every game he has ever watched. He even attended a Knicks game against the Milwaukee Bucks (c.1980), which of course they lost. One of John's other passions is reading. His favorite author is William Shakespeare. John has also attended many plays during his life, including many performances of the Iona Players. Lastly, John can never pass up a fine meal. He especially enjoys the Beechmont and Mirage Diner near Iona.

John has overcome many obstacles in his life. He has prided himself on living independently and taken care of himself for 16 years in Pelham, despite the fact that a 1998 fire destroyed most of his possessions. He moved to Willow Towers in 2006 and currently resides in United Hebrew Center.

John will forever remain an important part of the Iona community. Many will never forget the story of when John walked onto mid-court during an Iona basketball game and forced the referees to stop the game. There are an abundance of other zany and amazing stories in John's illustrious life, but are all too long to tell. We would just rather all rejoice here today to honor John for his commitment and love for Iona College.