When Bree and Kevin Klotter make the two-hour drive south to UC Berkeley, they like to take a tour of a campus library they don’t know very well.
On a recent walk through the Jean Gray Hargrove Music Library, the longtime Cal supporters noticed a clicking sound coming from the lights. The librarian leading the tour explained that the noise signaled a failing component — something that needed replacing but had to wait behind more pressing priorities.
It was a literal light-bulb moment. And the Klotters knew it was their time to shine. They later helped fund the repairs through a generous gift.
“We’re all about operations, funding projects to keep the walls painted, you know, to keep the lights on,” said Kevin, who earned a doctorate in chemistry from Cal in 1986. “Our interest is always toward fixing what’s there, using what’s available, rather than building something new.”
Driven by that operations mindset and a deep love for the UC Berkeley Library, the Klotters have become devoted donors, supporting both the Library and the Department of Chemistry. Without seeking the spotlight, they’ve backed everything from student workers to building renovations. Most recently, their commitment has taken the form of a legacy gift arranged through their estate — on track to provide about $1 million to the Library. As you might expect, the funds are earmarked to support operations.
Putting down roots
For Bree, whose family connection to UC Berkeley goes back three generations, it’s the least the couple can do for an institution that has meant so much to them.
She fell in love with the Library shortly after transferring to the university in 1974, and would go on to graduate with a degree in history in 1976. Her favorite spot on campus was the Main (Gardner) Stacks.
“The best part about my couple of years at Cal was spending time in the Stacks,” she said.
“It wasn’t meeting me?” Kevin quipped.
“No, you were secondary,” Bree retorted. “Because I’m a nerd. I could hang out in the Stacks all day long and just be perfectly happy.”
Bree has fond memories of working on her thesis. She’d search the card catalog for one book, then disappear into the shelves, where another title might catch her eye. Those little moments of serendipity, she said, were deeply rewarding. In the end, her 25‑page paper had 107 references in the bibliography.
She’d ultimately use the skills gained at Cal to work in administration and operations for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Kevin described his academic journey at the university as anything but straightforward. He started his doctoral program in 1973 and finished in 1986, joking that he might hold some kind of record for how long it took him. Degree in hand, Kevin went on to a long and successful career at The Clorox Co. in Pleasanton.
The Klotters called Livermore home for more than three decades, raising their two children there. Over time, the city became too crowded for them, and they longed to move somewhere more rural.
In their search for a spot to grow into retirement, the Klotters fell in love with a modest ranch property in Redwood Valley, just north of Ukiah in Mendocino County. The only challenge: The property included a small vineyard. Ever the practical people, the Klotters ventured into the world of grape farming.
Resilience and legacy
The day before their second harvest, disaster struck. The 2017 Redwood Complex Fire swept through the area, burning down their home and all outbuildings. Somehow, most of the vineyard survived, but not without damage.
“No amount of crying was going to bring (our home) back,” Bree said. “We had to make a decision: Do we stay or do we go? But both of us love this location. So we said: ‘We’re going to rebuild.’ ”
The Klotters, who had already been working with a contractor on some minor renovations, informed the builder that there would be some significant “scope creep.” They rebuilt the home almost exactly as it had been. (But with a nicer kitchen and bigger windows!)
These days, they savor the view from those windows, looking out over the sun-soaked vineyard, which was renovated and replanted in 2025. By fall 2027, their vines should produce about 3 to 5 tons of grapes, which will be sold to winemakers.
Their response to the fire is yet another example of how the Klotters meet the world — with practicality, humility, and, of course, generosity. It’s an approach that reflects who they are as people. And they credit their formation to UC Berkeley.
“I look back to what Cal gave us to make our lives possible, and I look forward as well, recognizing that the people who come out of that environment are the people who will inherit the earth from us,” Kevin said. “And we must make sure that these new generations are informed, think critically, and recognize the strength of our cultural diversity. They should have all the tools they need to be able to make the contributions that will take us into the future.”
Bree added, “We can’t imagine not giving back to this university that was so important in our lives. Where would we be without it? Where would we be if we had not gone to Cal? And met each other? That’s the other important piece.”
“I guess I finally made the cut,” Kevin said.