Clairene DeGroote, 85, a former Baker County resident, died Aug. 28, 2003, at a Wilsonville care center.
A Memorial Mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church Chapel in Hillsboro. Her graveside service will be at noon Thursday at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Portland. The Rev. Loren Kerkof will officiate.
Clairene was born on March 2, 1918, at Halfway to George and Jennie Laird Fleenor. After graduating from high school at Halfway, she worked as a bookkeeper for Baker Meat Packing.
She met her future husband, Marcel DeGroote before the war. Wanting to do something for the war effort, Marcel and Clairene moved to Portland to work in the shipyards during World War II.
Clairene worked in the shipyard office. After the war, they remained in Portland where Marcel built their house, where Clairene lived for most of her years.
She loved to play bridge and bunco. She always enjoyed hearing about her nieces, nephews and cousins and their children.
Her husband died in 1970. She also was preceded in death by her three sisters, Floriene Crook, Elaine Huff and Vivian Fleenor.
Survivors include her sisters-in-law, Julia DeGroote of Baker City and Mary Claeys of Hillsboro; her nephews, Rodney Huff, Norman Huff of Halfway and Gayland Huff of Grand Ronde; her cousin, Cass Vanderwiele of Baker City; her niece, Marlene Thompson of Hillsboro; and nephews, Richard Claeys and Donald Claeys of Portland and Robert Claeys of West Linn.
Memorial contributions may be made to Legacy Home Health Hospice, P.O. 3426, Portland, OR 97208, whose staff watched over her in her last days.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, September 5, 2003
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
