Klara Wolff passed away peacefully on June 9, 2025.
She was born Emanuela Klara on May 29, 1933 to Ottilia Bunk. Her mother married her stepfather Ludwig Guenther in 1937.
Klara’s childhood was split between the Restaurant Schlossberg in Landsberg, Germany, her uncle’s dairy farm in Villenbach, Germany, and a convent boarding school in Polling, Germany. She often traveled independently to her uncle’s farm by train with only a note of her final destination pinned to her jacket. She was an excellent student and a favorite among the nuns. She told a story about one selfless nun who reserved an apple or other item from her own meal and slipped it into her cubby as an extra treat. As a teen, she worked as a waitress in the restaurant they lived above and her mother managed. She would complete her homework at the Stammtisch, the special table reserved for the “regulars” and helped out in the restaurant where she could. One of the regulars was a photographer in town and took several portrait photos of her and placed them in the front window of his shop. A young man named Helmut Wolff, passing by the photographer’s shop said to his brother, “I’m going to marry her.” She met her husband Helmut at the restaurant as well. His father managed a boxing club that met for practice and tournaments at the restaurant where she lived.
After the American occupation of Bavaria, Klara continued to work in the restaurant that was used as an officers’ mess hall. Later, she worked as a switchboard operator since she was fluent in English after years of language studies at the convent boarding school in Polling. Helmut immigrated to the U.S. after the war and asked her to write to him. Her mother encouraged Klara to write letters. It wasn’t long before the letters became more and more personal, soon turning into love letters. Helmut returned to Landsberg and asked for her hand in marriage, but her mother wanted them to be certain of their feelings and wait a year before giving her blessing. After the year passed, Helmut came for his bride.
Klara married her beloved husband Helmut Wolff on May 11, 1957 in Waukesha. She was married two weeks after she arrived as Helmut’s friends and brother, Fritz and his wife Maria helped to pre-plan much of the wedding celebration.
Their daughter was born in November 1958. Klara was an excellent, intuitive mother and devoted wife. She managed her household, cared for her husband and daughter, kept books for Helmut’s carpentry business, and even worked part-time for an interior designer in Waukesha. She enjoyed hosting friends and cooking all the German favorites for them that she had learned in the restaurant.
When it was time to retire, Helmut and Klara built a home in Haines City, Florida. They spent their retirement making friends, traveling, and simply enjoying Florida. They enjoyed playing cards with friends, going out to eat, hosting any family vacationing in Florida, dancing with each other in their kitchen, and meeting neighbors for a drink at the clubhouse pub. They lived in Lake Henry Estates for 25 years until Helmut passed and she relocated to Burlington to be closer to her daughter. In Burlington, Klara lived independently for six years in a senior apartment close to her daughter. She made many friends there and started the Card Club with three other ladies. Some of her favorite things to do were walking, shopping with her daughter, meeting friends in the community room, and going out to lunch at Pine Street Cafe or Taco Bell. She thoroughly enjoyed her time living in her apartment.
She moved to Pine Brook Pointe in April 2024. Her care there was exemplary and all the staff treated her as though she was their very own mom or grandma.
Klara is survived by her daughter Karen (nee Wolff) Fohey, her favorite son-in-law Michael Fohey, two grandsons and their spouses, three very much loved great granddaughters, one niece, two nephews and their families, relations in Germany, and many friends she made during her long and well lived life. She will be dearly missed, and never forgotten.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Klara’s memory to the Activity Department at Pine Brook Pointe.
A private service, per Klara’s wishes, will be held at a later date.
Schuette Daniels Funeral Home is assisting the family. Well-wishers may visit www.danielsfamilyfuneral.com.
