CLAIRE R (GERVAIS) BOTHWELL

            Claire R. (Gervais) Bothwell died on November 14, 2016 in Wilbraham. She was born in Ware daughter of Alphonse “Jeff” Gervais and Irene (Riendeau) Gervais/Landry on August 15, 1937, and lived in Ware all of her life. She was educated at Mt. Carmel School, and graduated Valedictorian of the 1955 Class of Ware High School. She also received a Graduate Diploma from the Institute of Financial Education, where she also served as an instructor for several years in the Western Mass Chapter. In addition to her parents, Claire was predeceased by her husband William Bothwell Jr. in 2008, a son Thomas in 1960, a brother Robert Gervais in 1999 and a sister Diane Martell in 2004. She leaves two sons, Jeffrey of Buzzards Bay, and Randall of Ware, and her granddaughter Katie Lee Bothwell of Ware. She also leaves a sister Shirley Palczynski of Westfield, and a brother Maurice Gervais and his wife Ann of Westfield, and several nieces and nephews. She was employed by Ware Co-Operative Bank (Family First Bank) in 1954 as a part-time teller, was elected president and chairman of the board in 1978, and retired in 1997 as President. She continued to serve as Chairman of the Board until 2007 and continues as a member of the Board of Directors to the present. Claire served as a member of the Board of Mass. Co-Operative Bank League and as its Chairman in 1986, Director and Chairman of the Co-Operative Central Bank and Director and Chairman of the Bank Investment Fund. During her years in banking she also served on the state, regional and national Boards of the Institute of Financial Education and the state and national Boards of Americas’ Community Bankers. In local affairs, Claire was charter member of the Ware Housing Authority and served as Chairman for many years until retiring in 1998; she also was charter member of what has become the Ware Community Development Authority from which she retired in 1997. She also served as a member of the Ware Senior Center Building Committee. She and her husband Bill were instrumental in the formation of the Friends of Ware Seniors Inc., and she serves on the Board of Ware’s TRIAD/Salt Council,  is a member of the Ware Golden Age Club, and was named the Citizen of the Year on 1997 by the Ware Rotary Club. Claire is a communicant of All Saints Church, which she has served as a Lector, Special Eucharistic Minister and member and Chairman of its Finance Board. A Memorial Mass will be held on Tuesday Nov. 22nd  at 10am in All Saints Church, North St., followed by burial in New St William Cemetery. Calling Hours will be held on Monday Nov. 21st from 4 to 7 pm at the Charbonneau Funeral Home, 30 Pleasant St. In lieu flowers, donations may be made in Claire’s memory to All Saints Church, 17 North St. Ware MA 01082, or to the friends of Ware Seniors Inc, 1 Robbins Rd Ware MA 01082.