Marie-Claire died peacefully in her 90th year. She leaves to miss and mourn her: Don, her husband, children Michelle Donnelly and Daniel Donnelly, daughter-in-law Christa Thelker, and grandchildren Sarah, Elisabeth, and Christian Donnelly; stepchildren Les, Janice, Doug, and Laurie McDonell, Janice’s children Scott (Kathy) Watts and Freya (Richard) Lees; Doug’s son Marc (Kristen) McDonell and Laurie’s daughter Ari McDonell, along with two step great-grandchildren.

Born in Edmonton in 1921, Marie-Claire worked in a bomb factory during the Second World War. While working, and raising two children alone, she began taking night classes at UBC, and eventually finished a degree in social work. She worked in this field in the Lower Mainland until her retirement when she began travelling the world, often on her own. Claire truly had been everywhere.

Goodbye to a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church at 2465 Crown St, Vancouver, on Thursday, Sept 9, 2010.  William Comerford, CSR, Celebrant. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Covenant House - 575 Drake St, Vancouver, V6B 4K8, one of Claire’s favourite charities.