Clara Louise Close
Help us celebrate Clara! Please share your stories and photos, and invite others who remember Clara.
Clara Louise Robinson Close was born January 21, 1923, in Seattle, WA. Her grandparents had come to the Northwest from the East coast in 1889, when Washington became a state, to be in the lumber business. She was educated at Lowell Public School, St Nicolas School, and graduated in June of 1944 from the University of Washington magna cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa. In September of 1944 she was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and served at the Bureau of Ships in our nation's capital, Washington,D.C. It was there that she met Lieutenant Rodman E. Close, U.S.N. They were married in 1945 at the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland. After WW2 ended the couple moved to Southern California where Rod continued his naval career in the reserves and in civilian life as a test pilot for Northrup Aircraft. They lived in Palos Verdes Estates, CA, with their two daughters, Suzanne and Marguerite, until Rod retired in1972. The following year they moved to Camano Island, WA. Their daughters married and in the years that followed Louise and Rod lived a joyous life surrounded by family and friends. Louise was a life-long Episcopalian and was always a very active member of St. Aidan's as well as the P.E.O.
Sisterhood. She is survived by her daughters, Suzanne Lawrence, and Margot (Thomas) Hanson, five grandchildren, Sarah (Lonnie) Yeung, Andrew (Jacqueline) Bennett, Alexandria (lan) Andersen, Walter (Jaclyn) Haugland, Christina (Ryan) Purdy and twelve greatgrandchildren, Evan, Peter and Tori Yeung, Lucas and Madeleine Bennett, Charlie, Sadie and Stella Andersen, Henry and Elliott Haugland and Connor and Reagan Purdy.
Memorials may be sent to St Aidan's Episcopal Church or Hospice of the Northwest.