Obituary of Doree G. Kluss

July 3, 1924 – August 26, 2020 Doree Gongwer Kluss, 96, of Scarsdale, NY, passed away peacefully in her home on August 26, 2020, surrounded by family. Born in Akron, Ohio and raised in Cleveland, Ohio; Windsor, Vermont; Bronxville, New York and Scarsdale, New York, Doree was the daughter of Dorothy Henn Gongwer and Edwin Henn, and the beloved step-daughter of Burr Gongwer. Doree was a student at Connecticut College. To support the post-war effort, she studied secretarial skills at Katherine Gibbs School and worked in Paris for the Marshall Plan. There she met her husband of 26 years, Wilfred Martin Kluss, a graduate of Harvard College, Harvard Business School, Harvard Law School and a Rhodes Scholar. At the time, Will also worked at the Marshall Plan; Will and Doree were featured in Mademoiselle magazine as a couple who met on their jobs. Doree’s life supporting Will’s career as oil company executive took the family around the world, including a residency in London, England, which Doree particularly loved, and numerous trips to Europe and the Orient. Doree was a very dedicated mother, homemaker, wife, and volunteer in her community. Her children remember always coming home from school to fresh-baked snacks and her warm eagerness to hear about their day. Doree was a board member of the Scarsdale Women’s Club, Scarsdale Women’s Exchange; and a member of the Junior League of Larchmont, Twigs of United Hospital, Larchmont-Mamaroneck Women’s Tea Group, and Larchmont Stitch-n-Chat. She was a long-term congregant of the Larchmont Avenue Church and member of the Larchmont Yacht Club where she was a beloved, frequent face at the bridge tables, in the dining room, and on the beach. Doree’s hallmarks were her love of books and The New York Times; and her courageous tenacity, her kindness to others, and her gracious elegance. She never left the house without her red lipstick. She is survived by her son Stewart R. Kluss of New Rochelle; daughter Annette K. Alvarez of Naples, Florida; daughter and son-in-law Suzanne K. and Joseph Crawford of Falls Church, Virginia, four grandchildren, a great-grandson, two nieces, and a beloved sister-in-law, Diane Henn of Fairfax, Virginia. The family will hold a private memorial. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Doree’s name to The Scarsdale Woman’s Exchange, scarsdalewomansexchange.com