Robert J. Klahn, Jr.

Robert J. Klahn, Jr., age 79, passed away in Wilmington Hospital on September 27, 2023.  He was predeceased by his parents Robert J. Klahn Sr. and Lois Klahn, and his beloved wife Sharon Klahn.

Sharon was the love of Bob’s life. Together they entertained friends and traveled extensively.  They developed a fondness for Meerkats, and their home was graced by Meerkat photos, little statues, and mugs.

Bob was born in Buffalo, New York.  He attended Phillips Academy, Andover; graduated from Princeton University in 1966. He studied several languages during his schooling, played the Coronet, and became fascinated by a new tool at Princeton, the IBM 700 computer. After graduation at Princeton, Bob was hired as a computer scientist for the duPont Company and earned a Master’s Degree in Statistics from Villanova University.

Working with computers was a great match for Bob’s love of harmony, deep structure, and proportion.  He was one of the earliest adopters of what eventually became the Internet.

Since childhood, Bob was an avid reader; his keen intellect was first evidenced as an 8 year old, when he created his first crossword.  In 1991, he embarked on a “side job” of crossword construction. But, not just any crossword, but some of the most challenging “head scratchers’” ever made. Several of his crossword puzzles were published in the New York Times and other publications, including The News Journal.  One of his New York Times Sunday Edition Crossword Puzzles contained a marriage proposal; Bob had “conspired” with the groom to place the proposal in a puzzle for his crossword-loving bride to be.

Two books written by Bob and still available today are Absolutely Nasty Crosswords, Level 1 and The Wrath of Klahn, Puzzles from the World’s Toughest Clue Writer.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 3:00 pm at the West Wilmington Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 3003 Millcreek Rd, Wilmington, DE 19808. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the West Wilmington Seventh-Day Adventist Church or the charity of your choice.