Shirley Ann Clarke passed peacefully on October 2, 2024 at Granite VNA Hospice House in Concord. She was a dedicated wife, loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother, as well as an active community volunteer in the town of Claremont for many years. She had been living with her daughter Susan and son-in-law Ray in Weare, and spending quality time with her son Jim and daughter-in-law Vickie in Bedford, for the past few years. Her beautiful smile and gracious manner will be missed by all who knew her.

Shirley was born in Randolph, VT on October 23, 1939 to Olivette Morrissette Brassard and Louis Brassard. Her mother passed away when she was an infant, and Shirley was raised by a loving aunt and uncle, Mary and Levi Harley, and spent summers with her father, stepmother and sister Janice Amell. She graduated from Saint Mary's School in 1957. Shirley worked part-time throughout school, and then full-time at Keating Insurance company as a receptionist and bookkeeper through 1961.

On October 25,1958, she married Donald S. Clarke, who owned a large dairy farm in Claremont with his father. Donald and Shirley had three children: Susan, James and Julie. Along with raising their children, Shirley spent the next 30 years doing all the bookkeeping and HR work for the farm, until it was sold in 1995. After taking a few temporary jobs working at: Wester Central Services, Servicelink of Sullivan County, The Eagle Office, and Dartmouth Hitchcock, she began working for Cone Blanchard Corporation in Windsor, VT and worked there as a receptionist and administrative assistant to the CEO and CFO for seven years, until the plant closed in 2002. Her last place of employment was working as an administrative assistant for the Engineering Dept. for Timken Aerospace in Lebanon, NH until 2010 when she retired.

Over the years, Shirley volunteered in many areas. She helped children in the school system as a speech aide, and worked with both disabled and gifted children, as well as teaching catholic education classes through the church. While raising her own three children, Shirley was a 4H leader— a role she held  for sixteen years, teaching community service, sewing, cooking, crafts and leadership skills. After she retired, she took a training course at Turning Points, a local non-profit agency, so she could help troubled women at-risk for abuse, and then served as a board member and active fundraiser for seven years. More than anything Shirley's primary volunteer work was focused on supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by raising money for research, as her youngest daughter, Julie, was born with CF.

Shirley loved reading, gardening, cooking and listening to music (especially smooth jazz), but her biggest love was her family. Shirley's kindness and compassion was evident in every moment she shared with her family and friends, and her care for her loved ones was endless. She had an amazing ability to appreciate the beauty in the world and the people around her. Shirley touched the lives of so many through her thoughtful gestures, and always had kind words and delicious baked goods to share.

Shirley was predeceased by her husband, Donald S. Clarke on August 22, 2021, and her daughter Julie, on January 23, 1998. Survivors include her two adult children, Susan Thibodeau with her husband Raymond, and James Clarke with his wife Vickie Rajaniemi. Shirley was blessed with six grandchildren who adored her, and three great grandchildren with whom she loved spending time.

Friends and family may call at Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street, Claremont, NH on November 1st from 5pm. to 7 pm. Service will be held the following morning on Nov. 2nd at 11am. Stringer Funeral Home with a graveside procession and a Celebration of Life reception to follow at The Common Man in Claremont from 12 to 4 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support Cystic Fibrosis for the Ski for the Cure Event that her family has participated in for the past 30 years.

This can be done online at: events.cff.org/skiforthecure2025/ski4Julie

Donations can also be made to Turning Points in Claremont, NH in her memory.