Annette Bell Klayman

Annette Bell Klayman died at the age of 84 on January 25, 2020 at her home in Washington, DC, surrounded by her family. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Annette was a gifted artist; a talented gardener and cook; a sensitive and loyal friend; and a loving and attentive mother. She and her husband of 62 years, Bob Klayman, who died last September, adored each other as well as their four children.

Never one to do what was expected, Annette traveled to Mexico for a semester abroad and studied at the University of Florida before obtaining her degree in dental hygiene from Ohio State University. Moving to Washington, DC after marrying Bob, Annette worked as a hygienist for several years and then left her profession to raise her children. This change gave her the opportunity to pursue her true passions—photography and pottery.

In addition to collecting photographs, she was an avid photographer who experimented with different cameras from a Brownie to a Hasselblad, and who especially enjoyed taking pictures of North Truro, on Cape Cod, where she and Bob had a house for many years. A founding member of Toad Hall Pottery, along with Lynne Horning and Joan Mondale, Annette was fascinated by glazes and firing techniques. She kept meticulous notes on glaze trials, attended workshops, and co-built several kilns, including a wood-burning kiln in Little Washington, Virginia.

Following in the footsteps of her parents, Benjamin and Eva Bell, Annette grew orchids at home. Their delicate and exotic beauty fit perfectly with Annette’s aesthetic and complemented her wonderful sense of design. She was a marvelous cook with a particular flair for soups, desserts, and bread. She had a strong interest in other cultures and in discovering new things, and she traveled with Bob all over the world—from Japan to Mongolia to the Galapagos Islands.

She is survived by her children, Rachel (David Edelstein), Emily (Douglas Jacobson), Ben (Rachel Hart Klayman), and Jed (Marney Topchik Klayman); and her grandchildren, Lucy, Sylvie, Oliver, and Eva. A memorial service will be held in the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. on February 22, 2020, at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Lustgarten Foundation.