[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 153 (Thursday, September 21, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S4652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING JOHN R. KLAI

 Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, it is with great sadness that I 
share the passing of a great Nevadan, a dedicated advocate, and my dear 
friend John Reynolds Klai II of Las Vegas. John passed away on 
Saturday, September 2 with his husband Jon, loving family, and beloved 
dogs Bruno and Dexter at his side. John leaves behind an incredible 
legacy as an impactful community leader and champion for equality and 
justice.
  John was born and raised in the small town of Osnabrock, ND. His 
smalltown values guided his generous spirit and deep love of community. 
After taking an engineering class at the University of North Dakota's 
College of Business, John realized a knack for architecture. Upon 
graduating with a bachelor of architecture from North Dakota State 
University, NDSU, John moved out west to Las Vegas to join Marnell 
Corrao Associates. In 1995, John and his business partner Dan Juba 
founded Klai Juba Architects, now Klai Juba Wald Architecture + 
Interiors. Over the last 40 years, John has made significant 
contributions to building Las Vegas, leading projects at Mandalay Bay 
Resort and Casino, the Forum Shops at Caesars, and many local 
landmarks.
  Outside of his distinguished career, John devoted his time and 
resources to supporting architecture programs at NDSU and the 
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, UNLV. He thoroughly enjoyed his time 
serving as a volunteer adjunct faculty member in UNLV's hospitality 
design graduate program. He also made regular trips back to Fargo, ND, 
to teach students at NDSU. To honor John's service to the program, NDSU 
awarded him with an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 2018.
  John's service to his community extended beyond educating the next 
generation of architects. He volunteered much of his time to many great 
institutions, both in Nevada and across the country. John was heavily 
involved with the LGBTQIA+ Community Center of Southern Nevada, helping 
the community organization to celebrate diversity, empowering everyone 
to live as their authentic selves, and supporting others through 
difficult times.
  John and his husband Jon Sparer, also an architect, met in Las Vegas 
in 1981. They made Las Vegas their home and were married in 2014. They 
shared a deep love of travel, trekking across the world and most 
recently across North America in their motor coach with their puppies. 
John is survived by his loving husband, his daughter and son-in-law, 
two grandchildren, and many more family members and friends.
  I met John over 25 years ago through our synagogue, and I will 
forever cherish his unwavering friendship and support. He stood up for 
what was right, fought against what was wrong, and always put others 
ahead of himself. John was a beloved member of the Las Vegas community 
and will be deeply missed. May his memory be a blessing.

                          ____________________