The family of Carol CLAIRE Cook sadly announce her passing on July 10th in Barrie, ON.
CLAIRE was born in Copper Cliff in 1930 to parents Clara Mabel (né Boyd) and C.C. (Chappie) Chapman and until the age of 8, spent her holidays and summers in Creemore with her Boyd family, playing in the Mad River and riding "Maude" the horse. Then in 1939 her parents bought the island they called "Shangri-la" in the Bay of Islands, North Channel of Lake Huron as an escape from the blackened landscape of Copper Cliff (Sudbury), where Chappie worked as the Chief Purchasing Agent for International Nickel Co. (Inco, now Vale).
Mom was extremely proud of her father for working his way up from a steno clerk after returning from serving in the RAF in WW1, to being an executive with Inco. She was an only child, and we know she was (rather) spoiled.
Claire graduated as an R.N. from Toronto East General's nursing program in 1952 and returned home to work at the hospital in Sudbury.
In 1954 she met and married R.H. (Bob) Cook, a dashing young geologist at Inco, and they went on to have 3 girls - Cynthia (CINDY) Claire (Jeff), Caren CORALIE, and breaking the mould of 3 c's, Heather LAURIE (John).
The highlight of her life was the years spent with Bob and the girls in Malaysia where Dad was a geologist with CIDA (Canadian Intl. Development Agency). The family travelled extensively and even visited Iran and the Caspian Sea where Mom bought us all beautiful real Persian turquoise rings. She also loved her jade, which her good friends Michael Hong and Kim (Lau Lye Kuen) helped her choose.
Returning to Canada, Mom went back to work nursing but continued to travel every chance she got - even being among the first tourists to visit Cuba when it opened commercially.
Her heart was always at "the camp" though, at her island where she would spend as much time as possible - often alone well into late October with only her beloved dogs - and the raccoons. Mom loved all animals and nature and that, above all else, will be her lasting legacy. She taught her children well.
After Bob died in 1991, Claire moved to Barrie and spent her remaining years there with dogs Topaz and KimChi until Coralie moved from the Soo to be with her and provide the care she increasingly needed.
Claire will be missed by her wonderful neighbours and friends as well as dear cousins Bruce and Judy Cook and their family, and her Boyd cousins, Barbara Vivash, Ginny Ariemma Paul Williams and their families.
There will be a private memorial service at a later date. Donations to honour our mother's memory to the Canadian Wildlife Federation - https://cwf-fcf.org/en/
or your local SPCA or wildlife rehab centre, would be sincerely and greatly appreciated.
And, as she would say every day, "Don't forget to feed the birds!"
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to
Dignified Funeral Alternatives Barrie, ON 888-322-7222