Claire Louise Shaver

Claire Louise Shaver, 93, from Holt, MI passed away peacefully on Monday, March 11, 2024, in Harrison, MI surrounded by her family. She was born on March 14, 1930, in Harrison, Michigan to Claire Irene (Somers) and William Hileman. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers William and wife Marion, Richard (“Dick"), and Herbert (“Bud") Hileman, sister, Marjorie Case and husband Bill Case, and son-in-law, Kirk Shewchuck.

Claire was a case record coordinator with the state of Michigan where she worked in Children’s Special Health Care Services. She was responsible for managing a caseload of over 1,000 special needs children in the northern lower peninsula. According to her co-workers, it was an all-consuming, stressful job and she handled it with professionalism, integrity, common sense, and humor. Claire retired from the state of Michigan in 1992. She remained friends with many of her co-workers until her death.

After Claire retired, she traveled the world with friends and family. She enjoyed traveling and was able to visit so many wonderful places and make countless memories along the way. She enjoyed golfing in many golf leagues over the years, and especially loved golfing with her kids and grandkids. Claire was known for her great sense of humor. She always had “stories” (jokes) to tell that always had people laughing while trying to remember her jokes so they could repeat them.

She was famous for her cooking and baking. The neighborhood kids would come from blocks away to have one of her homemade cinnamon rolls, donuts, or a piece of pizza, to name a few of her specialties. She was also famous for the many pies she baked. They were melt in your mouth delicious and everything was always made with love. She was an excellent seamstress. She made beautiful clothes for herself, her daughters, and granddaughters. She even made clothes for their dolls. And the nightgowns she made for her daughters and granddaughters were second to none. If anything needed mending, she could mend it. Even if it seemed it was a lost cause, she would fix it. And she made the most beautiful quilts.

Claire had many wonderful neighbors in Holt who were always looking out for her, especially Kelly and John and Beth and Kim. And she looked out for them. She loved sitting on her porch and talking to them and other neighbors who might be walking by. She lived across the street from an elementary school. She loved watching the kids being dropped off and picked up each day and watching them play on the playground when they went out for recess.

Claire loved her family dearly. In her retirement she spent a lot of time going to different plays, concerts, ball games, birthday parties, etc. for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved living in Holt, but also loved spending countless weeks at the lake in Harrison. She enjoyed watching all of the activity on the lake, no matter the season. She loved seeing the many beautiful sunrises in the mornings and the beauty of the moon rising over the lake in the evenings. She was a kind, caring, funny, smart, and compassionate person her entire life. To know her was to love her. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Claire is survived by her five children: Terry (Earl) Mason, Bud (Nancy) Shaver, Pam Shaver, Bonnie (Roy) Rennirt, and Tom (Terri) Shaver, along with 15 grandchildren and many great- grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law, Esther Hileman and Lola Hileman, her dear, lifelong friend, Leota Gee, and many nieces, nephews, and friends, who loved and adored her.

A celebration of life will be held for Claire at a later date. If desired, memorial contributions in Claire’s name can be made to: Woodland Hospice House, 2597 S. Meridian Road, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858, or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

To share an online memory or condolence with Claire’s family, please visit: www.clarkstocking.com. Arrangements for Claire are entrusted with Clark-Stocking Funeral Chapel and Cremation Services 989-539-7810.