Claire Juliette (Lagasse) Blais

Claire Juliette (Lagasse) Blais, 90, formerly of Nashua, passed away Tuesday February 19, 2013 at the Holy Cross Health Center in Manchester.

Claire was born in Nashua on December 23, 1922, a daughter of the late Victor and Alice (Beauregard) Lagasse. She was the widow of Norman E. Blais who passed away in 1982.

After graduating as Valedictorian from St. Aloysius High in 1940, Claire married and raised her family, then got her Certificate in Early Childhood Education. Claire had been employed as an assistant teacher for 8 years by Kinder Kollege Kindergarten, a service of Hudson Community Church. Prior to retirement, Claire worked at St. Patrick’s Kindergarten in Nashua where she worked with the late Carolyn Gish, a very dear friend and superb teacher. She felt very blessed and privileged to have worked with Mrs. Gish all those years. Claire spent all her summers at her cottage on the seashore at Salisbury Beach, MA, where she enjoyed good times with family and friends. She loved walking the beach, swimming, watching the birds, sunrises, sunsets, and full moons rise over the ocean.

She was predeceased by a brother, Leon Lagasse; a sister, Camille (Lagasse) Desclos; two sons, Norbert Blais and Gerard Blais; a granddaughter, Malissa Blais; and a grandson, Jeffrey Waye.

Claire is survived by three daughters, Susan Waye and her husband Omer of Nashua, Elaine Dionne and her husband Normand of Chichester NH, Christine McGuire and her husband William of Salisbury MA; three sons, Daniel Blais and his wife Laurie of Nashua, David Blais of Occidental CA, Mark Blais and his special friend Patricia Gentry of Lenoir NC; 14 grandchildren, Donna Walton, Cynthia Waterstrat and her husband Steven, Jason Waye and his wife Jayme, Kenneth Dionne and his wife Cheryl, Andre Dionne and his wife Kristine, James Dionne and his wife Tara, Thomas Dionne and his wife Maryse, Matthew Dionne and his wife Reagan, David C. Blais, Michael Blais and his wife Vicki, Daryl Blais, Sabrina Blais, Mark McGuire, Christopher McGuire; 22 great-grandchildren, Ashley, Sierra, Tyler, Cory, Kyle, Zachary, Brooke, Jeffrey, Ariana, Brooke, Kirsten, Elijah, Joseph, Joshua, Jacob, Jonah, John Paul, Jordan Xavier, Regan, Donovan, Marisa, Kevin.

SERVICES: Visiting hours will be held on Monday February 25, 2013 from 5:00-9:00 PM at the Anctil-Rochette & Son Funeral Home 21 Kinsley Street Nashua NH 03060. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday February 26, 2013 at 10:00 AM in St. Louis de Gonzague Church, 48 West Hollis St., Nashua. Burial will follow in St. Louis Cemetery. To view an on-line memorial, send a condolence or for more information, go to www.anctil-rochette.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Holy Cross Health Center Activities Dept., 357 Island Pond Rd., Manchester, NH 03109 or to the charity of one’s choice. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Anctil-Rochette & Son Funeral Home, 21 Kinsley St., Nashua, NH.