Kathleen
Blow Clavelle passed away on November 17, 2024, as a result of
pancreatic cancer. She accepted the challenge to fight the disease
but ultimately chose to continue her journey without enduring the
debilitating side effects of the treatments.
Kathy
was born on May 4, 1954, in Burlington, Vt., to Thomas J. Blow and
Gabrielle Audette Blow.
She
loved to dance (at Loretta Sousie’s Dance Studio) and sing. She and
her talented friends and schoolmates sang at St. Joseph’s Church
for 15 years. Their voices and musical instruments harmonized at
weddings, funerals and church masses. She and her friends had such
beautiful voices that the priest would let them wander outside the
sphere of only religious songs, John Denver being one such exception.
Kathy
graduated from Rice Memorial High School in 1972 and from the
University of Vermont in 1976 with a degree in early childhood
development. She loved the inquisitive nature and positive energy of
children, as demonstrated by her work as a nanny, substitute teacher
and, most of all, a terrific mother.
She
was married to Ray Clavelle Jr. on June 12, 1976. She worked at
Champlain College as assistant housing director from the mid-1970s to
the early ’80s but halted her career when her children were born;
Adam and Alex were fortunate to have had an at-home Mom.
When
her sons were in middle school, she wanted to go back to work, and
she happily worked at Claussen’s Perennial Farm, specializing in
perennials.
Kathy’s
loves in life were her family, singing, gardening and living on her
beloved island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Beautiful gardens
appeared wherever she lived.
Kathy
was preceded in death by her parents, Tom (Jiji) and Gabrielle
(Betsy/Baba) Audette Blow, and her brother Andrew. She is survived by
her husband of 48 years, Ray/Raymie; her son Adam, his wife, Katie
(Yost), and their two children, Benjamin and Max; her son Alex —
who was born on her birthday — and his wife, Molly Gray. She is
also survived by her brother Dan Blow and his partner, Larry Wilhelm;
sister, Jayne Blow; brother John Blow and his wife, Deanna; niece,
Tyra; grand-niece, Josephine; nephews, Jake, Ryan, Dylan and Tei; and
grand-nephew, Toshi.
She
also leaves behind her mother-in-law, Eleanor (Dang) Clavelle;
sister-in-law Anne (Clavelle) Obbagy, married to Tom Obbagy;
sister-in-law Betsy (Clavelle) Cain; brother-in-law Peter Clavelle,
married to Betsy Ferries; Stephen Clavelle, married to Bonni
Clavelle; nine nieces and nephews and their partners; 10 grand-nieces
and -nephews; and many cousins and relatives who are the stewards of
Camp Overlake in Malletts Bay.
Kathy’s
grandchildren, Benjamin (Benji) and Max Clavelle, were the best
things that ever walked the face of her Earth. The boys loved
spending time with their Grandy, as they referred to her, and their
grandfather Raymie. They especially enjoyed looking at family photos
with Grandy, helping her water the flowers at Camp Overlake and
preparing her “meals” in their play kitchen.
Kathy
would bring a positive energy to any room. She was always asked by
friends for gardening advice, which she happily obliged. She was a
beautiful, independent and intelligent woman who will be sorely
missed.
In
lieu of flowers, please donate to the McClure Miller Respite House in
Kathy’s name (uvmhomehealth.org/donate/make-an-online-donation).
A
celebration of Kathy’s life will be held in the spring, once the
perennials begin to bloom again.
This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 3, 2024.