Born into a large farming family in Cutknife Saskatchewan, Claire was the third youngest of nine children born to Mabel and Nathan Medd. The family split up when Claire was 8 and the younger children relocated to Moon Lake Alberta while the older siblings were sent out to work and send money back to support them on a subsistence farm. She was able to attend the University of Alberta and become a teacher and raised 4 children with her husband Phillip Watts. He was a British immigrant bricklayer, encouraged by Claire to go to university and became a doctor. Tired of Prairie winters, upon his graduation, they followed some of Claire’s siblings west. The family moved to Vancouver Island and then to Burnaby where she spent most of her adult life. After Phillip died she was happily remarried to Robert Wilson of Coquitlam for over a decade.
Claire was predeceased by daughter Shelley (1986) and two husbands. She is survived by daughter Elaine (Wes), son Roger (Suzanne) and daughter Phyllis (Jim), and the apples of her eyes, grandchildren Alexis, Chris, Shanelle and Maya, as well as stepsons Doug and Greg Wilson. Claire has 3 surviving siblings, Joyce Engstrom (age 100), Shirley Burton (98), Ron (91) and dozens of nieces and nephews who she also loved dearly. Nothing was better to her than being with family and she was lucky enough to have spent 94 years living with family around her.
We in turn were blessed with her beautiful presence, vitality, joie de vivre, her loving and happy nature, and the example of her generous, friendly and kind spirit. She loved to dance and sing (in the church choir until covid); she opened her house to family, friends, foreigners and strangers alike. For a woman of her generation she traveled extensively -the UK, and Europe in her 20s, 50s and 70s; China, Australia (twice), Fiji, Hawaii, many US states east, west, and south, Canada from east to west–and family vacations to Europe, Jamaica, Mexico, Alaska cruise, a week in the Muskokas, as well as a river cruise in Russia all were highlights of the last 15 years. Remaining physically active, energetic and sociable until near the end, she always wanted to contribute or be helpful in whatever way she could. Even donating her body to UBC for medical science, and 40 years of giving blood, shows the kind of person she was.
We are so grateful Phyllis and Jim could look after our mother for the last decade as she slowly became more dependent. That gave her a great quality of life and was a great gift to her and the rest of the family.
She had a full life, well lived, and her presence will live on in us.
A celebration of life is planned for Thursday, August 18, 2022 at 1 pm, at the Jubilee United Church, 7591 Gray Ave, Burnaby, B.C. V5J 3Z4.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Claire’s memory to one of her favorite causes–University Women’s Club scholarships, Cancer, a local library, the United Church, or to one of your own.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Claire Wilson nee Medd then Watts June 11th 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Aldergrove, Province: Colombie britanique