Frederick Renee Klare, 76, of Charleston, South Carolina, husband of Constance Klare, passed away on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
Born on February 26, 1947, in Guam. Frederick was a son of the late Elizabeth Schaffner Klare and CDR (USN, retired) Robert Klare.
Fred was a proud graduate of The Military College of South Carolina (The Citadel), Class of 1968 where he studied modern languages and was a member of the Summerall Guards. He served two tours in Vietnam as a Military Intelligence Officer assigned to an infantry unit and spent seven years in the U.S. Army. Upon his return, Fred completed a Master of Science in Criminology at Florida State University. Fred then joined the United States Secret Service (USSS), where he worked as a Special Agent for 21 years in the NY Field Office, Miami Field Office, and finally in the Washington D.C. Field Office where he worked in the Intelligence Division, Dignitary Protective Division, Special Services Division, and the Asset Forfeiture Division.
Following his time with the USSS, he spent 18 years at the Central Intelligence Agency, retiring as a Senior Intelligence Service member in the Inspector General’s Office.
Fred was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge for fighting in active ground combat in Vietnam. Among numerous professional accolades, he received recognition for his outstanding investigative accomplishments that led to criminal prosecutions while serving in the USSS and CIA.
Fred was also known for his mentoring role, guiding aspiring military personnel, federal law enforcement officials, and students at The Citadel.
Fred was a devout Catholic and being service-oriented, he found his place quickly into the Rotary Club of Daniel Island upon his retirement.
Fred maintained a daily workout regimen, including training for and completing the 1991 Marine Corps Marathon. He was a voracious reader with a keen interest in geopolitics, history, business, sports, and biographies. Fred was an ardent Yankees fan and valued the performing arts. He took great interest in genealogy and maintained a daily journal-writing practice for almost five decades. He took meticulous care of the 1971 Pontiac LeMans convertible that he purchased upon returning from Vietnam.
Fred was an integrous man and a loyal friend. Most of all, Fred was a loving husband and deeply committed father. Together, Fred and Connie traveled the world – often with fellow former Citadel graduates and Secret Service Agents – from the Canadian Rockies to the jungle of Peru and the beaches of Normandy. Fred was a selfless father, instilling structure and discipline while offering unwavering support. At his retirement, when asked what Fred was most proud of, he humbly replied, “my children”. He inspired ambition, discipline, and a deep love for family in his children that will be part of his lasting legacy.
Fred is preceded in death by his parents, and his former wife, Anna Lee Klare (mother of his children).
Fred is survived by his wife Constance Klare; sons, Kevin Klare and Brendan Klare (Jessica); daughters, Kelly Klare and Kristy Klare; stepson, Erik Voss; sister, Anne Sullivan; brother-in-law, Timothy Sullivan; and three grandchildren, Kaden Harvey, Alice Klare, and Lacey Klare.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, from 4-7 p.m. at McAlister Smith Funeral Home, 1520 Rifle Range Rd, Mount Pleasant. Mass will be held Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at 10 a.m. at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 990 Etiwan Park St, Charleston. Burial will be held at Quantico National Cemetery in Triangle, Virginia. A Memorial in Fred’s honor will be held in the Washington, D.C. area at a later date, tentatively set for August 25.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: The Rotary Club of Daniel Island Foundation 295 Seven Farms Drive Suite C PMB 149 Daniel Island, SC 29492; The Citadel Brigadier Memorial Fund 171 Moultrie Dr. Charleston SC 29419; or the United States Secret Service Association Foundation.
Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister- Smith Funeral and Cremation, Mt. Pleasant.