Obituary of Thor Aleksander Klevjer

KLEVJER, Thor A. Bedford / Norway The world is a little dimmer without the light of Thor Aleksander Klevjer, aged 46, who passed away far before his time at his home in Bedford, NS on October 13, 2022. Born in Oslo, Norway on December 21, 1975, Thor was known for his devotion to his family, his love of sailing and all things outdoors, his thunderous laugh, and his dedication to his work. Thor grew up in Oslo, spending summers in the country in Vestfold enjoying the outdoors, especially fishing on the lake near his family cabin in Hof. He attended Ammerud skole (school), where he made a group of friends that would stay connected throughout his life. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree and PhD in marine biology at the University of Oslo. He continued Postdoctoral work at UiO and spent a memorable half year at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, UK. He was recruited to King Abdullah’s University of Science and Technology in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by his mentor, Stein Kaartvedt, and there spent 3 productive years engaged in research in the Red Sea and beyond. In 2012 he returned to Norway to work as a Researcher at the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Bergen. He bought a sailboat and lived on it happily until he met Michelle MacCarthy, his future wife, who eventually convinced him to live on land again (though they kept the boat and made many great memories taking excursions on Bergen’s fjords). Thor and Michelle spent several happy years enjoying life together in Bergen between Thor's periodic research cruises, where he thrived in his work on mesopelagic ecosystems ("counting krill", as he humbly called it sometimes), work that resulted in international collaborations and many well received publications. Thor had always longed to be a father, and he and Michelle were overwhelmed with joy to welcome their firstborn son, Alexander ‘Lex’ Claran Klevjer, on May 31, 2015. After a slight postponement to accommodate Lex’s arrival, Thor and Michelle were married in a fantastic celebration at Michelle’s family’s cottage in Caribou Island, Nova Scotia on August 1, 2015. One and a half years later they joyfully embraced their second son, Elias ‘Eli’ MacCarthy Klevjer, on Feb 4, 2017. That same year, Michelle was offered a position on the faculty of Saint Mary’s University, and Thor graciously agreed to move to Halifax, Nova Scotia in June 2017 to support his partner. In many ways, this was full circle for Thor, as he grew up hearing stories of Nova Scotia from his paternal grandfather who had spent part of the war stationed at Camp Norway in Lunenburg and had also spent considerable time in the Halifax area. Thor maintained his position at IMR and travelled as necessary but always prioritized his family and looked forward to his return trips to Norway and visits to Canada by his parents, Gunnar and Vigdis. He was deeply cherished by his parents, to whom he was an ideal son; his wife, who had found in him a steadfast and loving partner; and much loved by his brother Martin, who stood as best man in his wedding. He was always willing to lend a hand to anyone in need of help and was adept at fixing, building, and creating all manner of things – especially for his children: a climbing wall, a skating rink, a tree house, and so much more. Thor was the most devoted, loving, and dedicated father Lex and Eli could have had. He adored his boys and loved taking them fishing, on hikes, to their sports activities, and reading them long book series, for which they would sit rapt with anticipation next to him as he made all the right voices for the characters. He had not quite finished reading Lex and Eli the last book in the Harry Potter series when he was tragically taken from us. He passed away without warning in the early hours of the night after a short illness. His death leaves a hole in the lives of all who knew and loved him and our grief is compounded by the suddenness of the loss. In addition to his wife Michelle and sons Lex (7) and Eli (5), Thor is survived by his parents, Gunnar and Vigdis Klevjer; his brother, Jon Martin Klevjer and his partner, Inge Marie Holthe; his niece, Martina De La Caridad Silveira Duvergel Klevjer (daughter of Dania Duvergel Silveira), and his aunts, uncles, and cousins, and dear friends in Norway. He is also mourned by his parents-in-law, Irene and John MacCarthy; sister-in-law and brother in law, Kathryn MacCarthy and Alain Murphy; his nephews, Declan and Cian, and a large extended family in the Pictou, NS area and beyond. Thor Klevjer’s life will be celebrated in a service at McLaren Funeral Home in Pictou, NS Friday at 2 PM. Interment will follow at Waterside Cemetery, with some of his ashes to be returned to his beloved cabin in Hof, Norway. A reception will be held at Caribou Fire Hall following the graveside internment. In lieu of flowers, donations in Thor’s memory may be made to Lex and Eli’s education fund. A dedicated account for donations has been established in Michelle’s name on behalf of Lex and Eli: Account #718030137782 Institution Name: Scotiabank SWIFT Code/BIC: NOSCCATT Canadian Clearing Code: CC0002 71803 There will be a live stream of the service provided by McLaren’s Funeral Home, to facilitate participation from Thor’s friends, family, and colleagues around the world. Please use the following link: https://www.hdezwebcast.com/show/thor-klevjer?pass=7d67ac5462f7487603dd818f327f74f4 www.mclarenfuneral.ca