John Richard Klaas, 85, of Dubuque, Iowa, made his way through heaven’s gates on Thursday, July 13th, 2023, leaving behind his devoted family, who were at his side at Bethany Home when his life here with us came to an end.

To honor John’s life, a brief visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 31st, at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 31st at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, with Fr. Steve Garner officiating.  Burial will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery.   Military rites will be accorded.

This wonderful man was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on the cold, winter morning of February 16th, 1938, to his proud parents, Clarence “Shorty” and Agnes (Heiderscheit) Klaas. Though his birth certificate listed “John” as his first name, his mother decided to call him by his middle name of “Richard.” It wasn’t until the second grade when one of his teachers at Holy Trinity called him “John” that he discovered he had two first names.

Richard was a member of Holy Spirit Parish. This faithful servant always carried a pocket rosary with him at work. It was his reminder that God is always with us.

He graduated from Loras Academy in 1956. A very talented baseball player, he threw a no-hitter his senior year. According to his daughter, Roxanne, her dad is still the best Dubuque fast pitch softball player not yet inducted into the Dubuque County Fast Pitch Hall of Fame. Over the years she witnessed many softballs soaring high above the left field fence at McAleece Park. Richard also played a few years of semi-professional baseball. He even had a tryout for the Cleveland Indians.

Richard arranged for a chance meeting in 1958 with his future wife, Ann Voigts, after finding out through reliable sources that she hopped on the school bus to Senior High School at the corner of 12th and Iowa Street. One morning he “just happened” to be in the neighborhood before the bus arrived. The plan worked liked magic. He went on to marry this wonderful young lady and together celebrated 62 years of marriage. Richard and Ann were blessed with three children, Steve, Roxanne, and Mark.

Just prior to tying the knot, Richard and Ann pooled together their small savings and purchased a semi-tractor. It was the first step in what turned out to be a 7-million-mile professional truck driving career. However, Richard had to put this new career on hold for a short time after being called to service through the U.S. Army Reserves from 1961 to 1962 during the Berlin Crisis. This call to duty took him and his new bride to Fort Smith, Arkansas. After returning to Dubuque, Richard quickly resumed his truck driving career by taking a job with Flexsteel. After a year or so of moving furniture around the Midwest, he went on to drive what his children called the “Big Truck” at the Dubuque Packing Company until it closed in 1987. It was now time for Richard and his family to do their own packing. The entire family moved to Colorado after hearing Nation’s Way was looking for professional truck drivers. Richard and Ann spent almost 20 years in the Rocky Mountain state creating many friendships and memories before returning to Dubuque in 2007.

Sadly, Richard’s professional truck driving career came to a screeching halt in 2014 after he suffered three strokes. His days of driving an 18-wheeler on the open road all night long, crisscrossing the nation’s highways, were over. At the age of 76, ready or not, retirement had arrived.

Thanks to the loving care of his wife, Richard was able to enjoy many happy years away from the road despite his ongoing health issues. He was forever grateful for all that she did over the last 8 ½ years to ensure he was able to continue living at home. When that was no longer possible, the kind and compassionate staff at Bethany Home welcomed him into their family.

Richard loved his family and worked so hard to provide for them. The life of a truck driver isn’t easy. Back in the day at the Dubuque Pack, after driving all night long, he would rise early in the morning from his small cot in his tractor, open the back trailer door, and start unloading sides of beef (like the ones Rocky used as a punching bag).

He was a simple man who didn’t need much. A little duct tape would stretch the life of his wallet out for a few more years. Socks with holes in them could always make it another month or two. While enjoying a dinner out on the town, he would always order whatever meal was on sale to save a few bucks. But when going out to eat with friends and family, he was always the first one at the table to ask for the check. Richard taught his kids big words like “facetious” and created words like “oldsmobuick.” The Green Bay Packers and Chicago White Sox were his teams. Blue Bloods was his show. No cookie could ever surpass an oatmeal raisin. An apple fritter could make his day. He loved reading the newspaper, watching the hummingbirds, taking 10-minute naps, collecting road maps, and turning over the calendar to start the next month.

Although family time was always in short supply, Richard made the most of it when he was home. He loved visiting his sisters Mary and Gloria, playing cards, going to Eagle Point Park, watching barges navigate through Lock and Dam No. 11, taking family road trips to Chicago, playing catch with his kids in the backyard, spending a week at the Shacks cabins with friends in the summer, playing recreational fast pitch softball, and especially traveling to Nebraska to visit his grandson, Jonah. “Papa” was so proud of him.

Some of his proudest achievements included the multiple safety awards he received from Nation’s Way and Walmart for his accident-free mileage. Richard knew nearly every mile marker exit along I-70 and I-80. He was GPS before there was such a thing. As long as you were riding with him, you never had to worry about pulling over at the next gas station and asking for directions. Richard was also especially proud of his single up the middle off George Peterson, his children’s successes in life, and his best decision of all, finding the most devoted and loving wife, Ann, standing at the bus corner back in 1958.

Richard is survived by his loving wife, Ann; his three children, Stephen (Dr. Tara Longoria) Klaas, Roxanne Klaas, and Mark Klaas; his favorite grandson, Jonah Klaas; his sisters, Mary Claire Klaas (special friend, Ed Ehlers) and Virginia (Lee) Nelson; his nieces, Kara (John Khouri) Klaas, Carolyn Klaas, Sue (Bob) Biddle, Debbie Ruden, and Stacie (Jodi Valdez) Neldaughter; his nephew, Paul Klaas; his two special great nephews, Patrick Khouri and Andy Khouri; his great aunts, Rosie Winner and Hazel Schend; his special cousin, Peggy (Gerry) Miller, and their daughter, Amanda; his sister-in-law, Yvonne Klaas; his truck driving buddies, Van Klause and Gary Noel; and his much-loved dachshund, Emily.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Gloria Klaas; his brother, Herbert Klaas; and his sweet, precious dachshunds, Sachi, Chester, and Nemo.

Special thanks to Richard’s sister, Mary, who visited him nearly every day these past 5 months, Dr. Hillard Salas, Dr. Timothy Martin, Hospice of Dubuque, and the entire staff at Bethany Home for their compassion, kindness, and exceptional care. We don’t know what we would have done without you. You will be in our hearts forever.

Memorials may be given to Bethany Home, Hospice of Dubuque, and the Dubuque Regional Humane Society.

After suffering those three strokes, Richard was never able to sit in the driver’s seat again. Without question, this was heartbreaking for him. He would have given anything to get behind the wheel one more time. It brings his family a sense of comfort knowing that he was in the driver’s seat again on July 13th, heading home, straight to heaven, his first and only one-way trip.

Richard will be forever missed by all those lucky enough to have known him.