Luanne Evans Klaras

Luanne Evans Klaras was born in Corsicana, Texas, August 3rd, 1934. She ended her earthly journey Friday, February 14th, 2025. 

A graveside service will be conducted at Oakwood Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 19, followed by a memorial service at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church at 1:00 p.m. with The Rev. Aaron M.G. Zimmerman officiating. There will be a visitation from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home Tuesday, February 18th. 

Luanne was the only child of Edward Lee Evans and Mary Wardwell Miller Evans. Her parents, Edward, a country boy from Jewett, Texas, and Mary from Camden, Maine, began their relationship while completing their medical studies at St. Barnabas Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. The completion of Ed's residency and Mary's nursing degree coincided with a whirlwind courtship. They married shortly thereafter and moved to Frost, Texas, where Ed started his practice as a country doctor. Soon to follow was our grandparents' finest gift, our mother Luanne. 

The family moved to Dallas after a few years and settled in the Oak Cliff area. Luanne attended public schools, graduating from WH Adamson High School. She attended Baylor University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. The opportunity to study with Paul Baker, Chair of the Drama Department, was one of the most impactful experiences of her life. It served as a springboard to the imaginative and creative process she employed throughout her life in her family, work life, and charitable endeavors. 

Along the path of her college studies, she met a handsome upperclassman who impressed her with his kindness in helping her acclimate to life at Baylor. The relationship transitioned quickly from friendship into a romance with our father, Nikolas "Nick" Klaras. The couple married in June 1955. Luanne taught at Hillcrest Elementary School, and Nick worked for Phillips Rocket Division (in later years known as Rocketdyne, then Hercules). Another interesting source of income for the young couple at that time were royalties from the vocals performed for a national Prell Shampoo television commercial by Luanne and two of her college drama classmates, all members of the Speak Four Trio. 

Luanne was a rock-solid, constant supporter of Nick, who, in 1959, decided to go into business for himself, leasing space at Westview Bowling Lanes to open the original Nick's Restaurant and their own free-standing restaurant in 1966. They welcomed Evan, Karen, and Cameron by 1959. Sadly, Cameron was born with multiple birth defects. Luanne and Nick met the challenge of raising a multi-handicapped child head-on with love. They began utilizing the resources and support of Heart of Texas Mental Health and Mental Retardation. 

In addition to raising a young family, Luanne also joined her good friend Virginia DuPuy in assuming the roles of creative directors of Youth in Motion, an organization started by Jernine Waggoner, another Paul Baker protégé. Youth in Motion included primary through high school-aged students of varied ethnic backgrounds. They were provided with resources to channel their creativity in art and writing, producing and performing dramatic works. The culmination of their efforts was the play Our America, originally performed at the Civic Theater in Waco and subsequently filmed with assistance from Trinity University and San Antonio Public Television. The play, written, produced, and performed completely by the members of Youth in Motion, was an insightful view of the 1960s American experience from a young person’s perspective. It was aired by many public television stations nationally around the Thanksgiving holidays for many years. In 2019, the members of Youth in Motion organized a reunion at the Klaras home. It was a truly impressive gathering of members from across the nation, assembling for the first time as a group since the 1960s to reminisce and celebrate Luanne and Virginia. 

Luanne’s early involvement with MHMR led to service on the board and as board president during challenging times. The board helped guide the organization to brighter days with the hiring at that time of new director Dean Maberry. Dean approached Luanne and Nick, asking if he could use the Klaras family name to brand a new enhanced effort for early childhood development. They were greatly honored and consented. The Klaras Children's Center was dedicated in 1983 and continues to serve families in Central Texas through their great work, now as the Heart of Texas Behavioral Network. 

Luanne served on the Waco Foundation. She also partnered for many years with her good friend Doreen Ravenscroft in helping to develop the Open Door Art Festival, the forerunner to the Creative Waco Festival enjoyed by so many each year. 

Many will also remember fondly Luanne as a consummate caterer and partner with Nick and Evan at Nick's Restaurant. She employed much of the creativity she learned during her Baylor Theater days to plan marvelous catered affairs for many years. She would often reflect that a catering is much like a play, and it was her job to make sure it was beautifully presented and well performed! 

After Luanne and Nick's retirement in 1996, she continued to volunteer her time on boards at Baylor and MCC while finding time to travel and enjoy family. With the passing of Nick in 2009, she continued to be the rock of the family, enjoying the addition of many more grandchildren each year. Infirmity in recent years never dimmed her beautiful smile, her warmth, and the love she radiated to family, caregivers, and friends alike. 

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Evan Klaras and wife Kimberly; daughter Karen Klaras Goss and husband Grant; grandchildren Kent Klaras (Caitlin), Katie Klaras, Sterling Musil (Neil Ward), Branch Musil (Melissa), Cameron Goss (Jill), Chris Goss (Madison); 11 great-grandchildren; and many loving and special cousins. 

Pallbearers will be Cameron Goss, Christopher Goss, Kent Klaras, Branch Musil, Neil Ward, and Whit Shepherd. 

Honorary Pallbearers are Fess Miller, David Lacy, Hack Branch, Jim Newkham, George O’Connor, Greg Bashara, Barry Johnson, Joe Johnson Jr., Charles Burleson, Randy Riggs, Tommy Riggs III, Bobby Wilson, Dan Henderson, and Sammy Citrano. 

Our family would like to thank Gentle Transitions Hospice and give special thanks to Socorro Arrias, Maria DeLeon, Lorena Arrias, and Cecilia “Cece” Corpus for your constant, tender loving care of our mother. 

Memorials may be made to the Klaras Children's Center c/o Heart of Texas Behavioral Network, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, The Bowen Family Foundation, or the charity of your choice. 

The family invites you to leave a message or memory in Luanne’s "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.