She was born in Lyman, Maine on Dec. 13, 1921, the fifth of seven children of Cordelia (Drew) Taylor and Curtis Taylor.
Claire attended schools in Lyman, Alfred, Portland, and graduated from Kennebunk High School in 1939. She then continued her education at Maine Eye and Ear Nursing School and was employed as a RN for several years in Saco and Biddeford hospitals. On June 6, 1943, she married the love of her life, Leland Scamman of Saco.
Claire was an active member of the East Waterboro Baptist Church, the Saco Grange, and the Annette Chapter #184 of the Order of the Eastern Star. In the fall of 1964, Claire and her husband traveled to Egypt as the guest of Farmers and World Affairs, after returning she and Leland shared their experiences and pictures with many groups statewide.
As her children were growing, she was very involved with the York County 4-H Clubs, including managing their food booth at the Acton Fair and being a 4-H leader. Claire was a talented seamstress, a wonderful cook, and enjoyed swimming, reading and knitting. She especially loved family times with her parents, siblings and their families and in her later years with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Claire and Leland loved to dance whether it was ballroom or square dancing and spent many happy Saturday nights with their many friends on a dance floor.
Until their retirement in 1987, they operated a dairy farm where their four children grew up, Elaine, Curtis, Beatrice, and Drew. Their retirement home was their lakeside cottage in Waterboro. From there they continued to enjoy visits and good times with their family and many friends.
Claire was preceded in death by: her parents; her husband, Leland; her daughter, Elaine Scamman Carter; two sisters, Jean Small, and Celeste Kimball; and two brothers, William Taylor, and Curtis (Jimmy) Taylor Jr.
Claire is survived by: her daughter, Beatrice and her husband Walter Kiesow of Winslow; two sons, Curtis and his wife Linda Valentino of Saco, and Drew Scamman of Waterboro. Claire was cared for by many members of her loving family but, for the past several years, Drew lovingly and patiently provided in-home care for his mother, enabling her to remain at home.
Other survivors are: six grandchildren, Libby and her husband Rick Collins of Saco, Walter (Bert) Kiesow Jr. and his wife Jaime of Cumberland, Joe Scamman and his wife Jessica of Saco, Alex Anastasoff and his wife Betsy of South Portland, Sasha Anastasoff of Scarborough, and Kate Scamman of Saco; 12 greatgrandchildren; two sisters, Katherine Jo Drown of Nashua, New Hampshire and Marilyn (Peggy) Flagg of Jefferson; and several nieces and nephews.
Family and friends may call at Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, 365 Main St., Saco on Thursday, Dec. 17 from 4-7 p.m. An Eastern Star Service will be conducted at 6:30 p.m. A private graveside service will be held at Laurel Hill Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband Leland. A memorial service will be held at the Community Baptist Church, 6 Clarks Bridge Road, North Waterboro on Dec. 18, 2015, at 1 p.m. Memorial Contributions may be made in Claire’s memory to the Maine Eye and Ear Scholarship Fund, C/O SMCC, 2 Fort Road, South Portland, ME 04106.
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