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1933
Clara
2015
Clara Louise (Smith) "Clare" English
October 6, 1933 — October 20, 2015
Clara Louise (Smith) "Clare" English of Gull Lake (Richland), MI
Clare, age 82, died Tuesday evening, October 20, 2015 at the New Friends Memory Care & Assisted Living Community of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
She was born October 6, 1933 in Jackson, Michigan to Charles and Claribel (Jeffery) Smith. She graduated in 1951 from St. John High School in Jackson, Michigan where she was a member of the cheerleading squad. After high school, she spent a year and a half living in Long Beach, California with several girlfriends. She moved back to Michigan for a family wedding and ended up meeting her future husband on a blind date. Clare wed Tom English on October 22, 1955 at St. John Catholic Church in Jackson, Michigan. They raised their family in Portage, Michigan as members of St. Monica Catholic Church. When not busy with her four children, Clare found time to volunteer at Borgess Hospital and with the Girl Scouts. Clare was an avid reader who loved photographing her grandchildren and also enjoyed crafts, cooking and needle point. In 1981, her family made their permanent home at Gull Lake where she was a member of Gull Lake Country Club and St. Ann Catholic Church. Clare and Tom wintered in Marco Island, Florida for more than 20 years where she enjoyed spending time with friends, hosting visiting family and collecting shells.
She was preceded in death by her parents, five sisters and two brothers. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Tom English, her children - Bob (Janis) English of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Margie English (Scott Schweinfurth) of Bannockburn, Illinois; Annette English of Denver, Colorado and Maureen (Bob) Hada of West Des Moines, Iowa; her eight grandchildren – Ben English, JT English, Carolyn (Ryan) McNicholas, Andrew Schweinfurth, Thomas Schweinfurth, Trishie Schweinfurth, Liz Hada and James Hada and many nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, October 26th at 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church, 12648 East D Avenue, Augusta, Michigan. Interment will follow in Yorkville Cemetery, Ross Township. Family and friends will return to St. Ann Parish Hall to continue Clare's life celebration with a time of fellowship and a luncheon. Clare's family will greet friends on Sunday, October 25th from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home, Richland Chapel & Cremation Care, 9170 East D Avenue (M-89). Memorial contributions in Clare's honor may be directed to the Hospice of Southwestern Michigan, 222 N. Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 or St. Vincent DePaul Society, c/o St. Ann Catholic Church (See address above).
Clare, age 82, died Tuesday evening, October 20, 2015 at the New Friends Memory Care & Assisted Living Community of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
She was born October 6, 1933 in Jackson, Michigan to Charles and Claribel (Jeffery) Smith. She graduated in 1951 from St. John High School in Jackson, Michigan where she was a member of the cheerleading squad. After high school, she spent a year and a half living in Long Beach, California with several girlfriends. She moved back to Michigan for a family wedding and ended up meeting her future husband on a blind date. Clare wed Tom English on October 22, 1955 at St. John Catholic Church in Jackson, Michigan. They raised their family in Portage, Michigan as members of St. Monica Catholic Church. When not busy with her four children, Clare found time to volunteer at Borgess Hospital and with the Girl Scouts. Clare was an avid reader who loved photographing her grandchildren and also enjoyed crafts, cooking and needle point. In 1981, her family made their permanent home at Gull Lake where she was a member of Gull Lake Country Club and St. Ann Catholic Church. Clare and Tom wintered in Marco Island, Florida for more than 20 years where she enjoyed spending time with friends, hosting visiting family and collecting shells.
She was preceded in death by her parents, five sisters and two brothers. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Tom English, her children - Bob (Janis) English of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Margie English (Scott Schweinfurth) of Bannockburn, Illinois; Annette English of Denver, Colorado and Maureen (Bob) Hada of West Des Moines, Iowa; her eight grandchildren – Ben English, JT English, Carolyn (Ryan) McNicholas, Andrew Schweinfurth, Thomas Schweinfurth, Trishie Schweinfurth, Liz Hada and James Hada and many nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, October 26th at 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church, 12648 East D Avenue, Augusta, Michigan. Interment will follow in Yorkville Cemetery, Ross Township. Family and friends will return to St. Ann Parish Hall to continue Clare's life celebration with a time of fellowship and a luncheon. Clare's family will greet friends on Sunday, October 25th from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home, Richland Chapel & Cremation Care, 9170 East D Avenue (M-89). Memorial contributions in Clare's honor may be directed to the Hospice of Southwestern Michigan, 222 N. Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 or St. Vincent DePaul Society, c/o St. Ann Catholic Church (See address above).
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